A/N: This is not a sequel to my previous story. I am still running it over in my mind how/when/if I will make a sequel to that one. You guys will be the first to know! Anyway, this is what happens when I get really bored…I write some more. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last piece.

>>>>>>

Dream of Me
Chapter One

"Inuyasha? Is that you?" Kagome called out. She was surrounded by blackness. The air about her was thick, and she felt the panic rising inside her. She coughed. Suddenly it was harder to breathe. She could still see nothing, but despite that, she began to run. She ran through the nothingness that surrounded her, and in turn, found nothing. "Inuyasha!" she screamed. "Help me! I'm…I'm lost!" she stammered. There was still no response from her hanyou savior. "Where are you, Inuyasha?" she screamed. "Help me! Please…"

Kagome dropped to her knees and began to sob. She was lost…and this time, Inuyasha wasn't going to save her. This was a nightmare. It had to be…but it wouldn't end.

"Who is Inuyasha?" asked a male's voice. "Dearest Kagome, what are you doing out here all on your own?"

Kagome shook her head. "Whoever you are, get away from me!" she screamed. "I…I don't want your help!"

"So instead you scream for the help of some person who doesn't even exist? Some made up entity? You would rather do that than accept my help? Come on, Kagome. Don't hold so tightly to those dreams of yours. You might drown in them."

Kagome swallowed. Hard. What had he just said? "Made up? Dreams?" she repeated. "But I thought…"

"None of it is real, Kagome. None of it is real…" It was Naraku's sinister voice, echoing through the blackness.

"None of it is real…" he repeated, his fingers on Kagome's temples. The girl had been unconscious for several days now, and he took his chance where he found it. Soon, the girl's nightmares would stop. By the end of the week, she would forget all about Inuyasha, her friends, and her family. By the end of the week…she would be his, and he would have the perfect tool against fighting Inuyasha. A small smile graced his lips when he thought about this. "Kanna…work faster. Intensify the poison." He commanded.

"Yes, Naraku." Kanna nodded in obedience.

Kagome was suddenly thrust from the eternally dark place…wherever it was, into a large field full of flowers. Only two or three trees graced the landscape, and Kagome thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The sun grew lower and lower in the sky, casting a pink glow over the scene in front of her. Kagome felt her breath catch in her throat.

"What is this place?" asked Kagome out loud. She looked down. She was wearing a beautiful silk blue and silver kimono.

"Just watch…" Naraku's voice told her. "You'll see…"

Kagome squinted her eyes. She could see two people on the horizon, although she could not see who they were or what they were doing. She took several steps closer so that she could further investigate. Narrowing her eyes to mere slits, she studied the two people in front of her.

One of them was herself. She was walking hand in hand with the other person, a man. She studied him. The man was…it was…Naraku? Her breath caught in her throat.

"Why are you showing her such images?" growled Kagura, staring in disgust at Kanna's mirror, which was broadcasting Kagome's visions whilst she was sleeping. "I do not like the direction in which this is heading…"

"Shut up, Kagura! You shall see! Do not interrupt!" Naraku growled.

Kagome took several steps forward. "But that's…" she stammered.

"That is you and I, Kagome. We're together. Don't you remember? You can't have forgotten that!" Naraku's voice sounded hurt. He continued. "We have been together for over three years now…"

"But we…" Something still felt odd for Kagome, although she was gradually beginning to accept everything. She frowned. "Three years? And no children?"

Naraku's voice filled with laughter. He hadn't expected the miko to realize something like that. He was going to have to tell her something. "Well, Kagome, don't think we haven't tried…" What a lie that was. "We found out you were unable to bear children…" Another lie, and one that he was sure would sting pretty badly. He was almost done. She was so close…

Kagome gulped. "I can't? I see…" she nodded sadly. "How did I end up here? This place is beautiful…but I want to come home."

"You are home, Kagome. You just need to wake up. You hit your head, and you've been out for days…" Naraku explained. More lies. Actually, he'd hit her head. That had been why she had been out so long.

Naraku pulled back, and nodded. He smiled at Kanna, who lowered her mirror, and silently walked from the room.

"Just what exactly are you trying to pull?" yelled Kagura. "I understand you want Inuyasha dead, but why don't you just go and kill him? It would be so simple now! Why go into such elaborate trickeries to fool his wench? There is no need to toy with his mind. He is weak and vulnerable without the girl. You should kill him now. What else are you planning?"

Naraku chuckled to himself. "If I simply killed him, there would be no fun in it. I want him to suffer before he dies…and I have the perfect way to make that happen." He smiled, bearing his fangs.

Kagura took a step back, both frightened and disgusted. "You…wouldn't!" she gasped in shock. "Why?"

"Because, Kagura, then, Inuyasha will be completely powerless against me. He will have to hand me the remaining jewel shards, because there will be nothing else for him to do. You and I both know he would never harm Kagome…and if she is bound to me, then he will not harm me either…simply because he fears putting her in pain. You see now? The plan is full proof."

Kagura gagged. "It's wrong! What if the girl somehow remembers everything? What if she sees Inuyasha and recognizes him after you told her he didn't exist? What if Kanna's poison wears off, and she kills you? Where will you be then?" she demanded. "It's stupid. You should have just stolen the jewel shards and killed him. This plan of yours could go wrong in one too many ways…"

"Not once she is mine…" Naraku bit into Kagome's neck. "Inuyasha won't dare to lay a finger on me now…" he smirked triumphantly.

I can think of at least one person who might, thought Kagura. I have to find Sesshoumaru, fast!

"Leave, Kagura. See if you can't find Inuyasha and his pack…" Naraku told her.

She bowed. "Yes, Master Naraku." You vile careless idiot.

Sesshoumaru had been following the scent of Inuyasha's wench for quite some time now. He found it both odd and disturbing that for nearly a week, wherever Naraku seemed to be, he also detected the girl's scent. He stopped suddenly. The girl's scent had just changed. Something was terribly wrong, and it had to be Naraku's doing…

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where are we headed?" Jacken asked his master.

"We are looking for Naraku as always, Jacken. Something doesn't smell right. I need to get some answers quickly." He added under his breath. "Rin!" he yelled. "Stay within my sight!"

Jacken nodded. "Is Naraku in this direction?" he pointed.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Come, Jacken. We will quicken our pace."

A huge gust of wind told Sesshoumaru that he may get the answers to his questions a little sooner than he expected. In front of him stood Kagura, the manipulator of the wind, and one of Naraku's incarnations.

Jacken made a point to remind everyone of that fact. "Look, Lord Sesshoumaru! It's Kagura, Naraku's vile incarnation!" he pointed.

"Don't remind me you disgusting little toad." She growled at him and turned to Sesshoumaru. "You and I really need to talk." She whispered.

"What could someone like you have to tell me? I want to kill the man who made you. We two are not exactly suited for conversation." He answered.

Kagura huffed. "You can go right ahead and kill him. It certainly won't bother me any…but you'll have to figure out a way in which to kill him first."

Sesshoumaru blinked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "What has happened?"

Kagura cleared her throat. "About a week ago, Naraku caught Kagome hanging around near that well on her own, and he poisoned her into unconsciousness and brought her back to his castle…"

"That much I know." Sesshoumaru confirmed. "Do you have any new information for me?"

Kagura sighed. "I'm getting there." She paused a moment, and then continued. "He had Kanna make a special solution…another poison, which he fed to the girl to induce dreams…special ones…tailored to his liking. He has spent the last week convincing the girl Kagome that your brother, her friends, and her family never existed. That the two of them are…together…" she gulped. "All of this done while the girl has been unconscious."

"Together?" Sesshoumaru repeated. "Even I know that the miko wouldn't take that one lying down…"

"She can't do anything, Sesshoumaru. He has her convinced that none of them ever existed, that everything was a figment of her imagination…" Kagura paused, gulping once more. She had to admit, even she felt horrible for what Naraku had done to the girl. "Sesshoumaru…Naraku has bitten her…"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "That would explain the sudden change in her scent." He frowned.

"The girl thinks that everything Naraku has been telling her…all the lies he has been feeding her in her dreams, are all true. When he was finished convincing her of that, he bit her." She sighed. "He told me that he knew that Inuyasha would never come after him if he knew that killing him could kill the girl as well…"

Sesshoumaru frowned rather deeply. "Yes…I do believe my brother loves the miko." He sighed.

"The girl is his weakness, Sesshoumaru. You have to think of some way to help free her. Inuyasha can not have a weakness right now. It is the last thing that either of you needs! Now that something like this has happened…I fear Naraku may never meet his end. You have to help your brother and the miko, Sesshoumaru. Please."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You think I didn't realize all that already?" he snapped.

He tensed as Kagura wrapped him tightly in a hug. "I have betrayed him. I will not be around much longer." She whispered into his chest. "But even if I am not, Naraku still has to die…"

Sesshoumaru let out a breath he had been holding. "I know. But first, I must find Inuyasha. There are others, beyond even him, that need to know about what has happened to the girl…" he whispered his reply.

Inuyasha ran in the direction of his brother's scent. "Damn you, Sesshoumaru! I don't have time for this! Naraku is going to kill Kagome if I don't find her soon!"

"Naraku has not killed her. The girl is alive." Sesshoumaru reported.

"And where do you have your sources?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Calm down and listen to him, Inuyasha. He has not come to fight." Miroku warned.

Inuyasha took a deep, calming breath, and his brother began his story. "The girl Kagome is not dead, Inuyasha. However…what Naraku has done is worse." He paused a moment, and continued. "He has wiped the girl's memory of you, her friends, and even her family. She will not remember you at all. She thinks that you…that all of this…including her abilities as a miko, were nothing but elaborate figments of her imagination…"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped, but Sesshoumaru still had more to say. "There is even worse news beyond that, Inuyasha. Naraku has…he has bitten Kagome…Kagura told me he did it knowing that you would not knowingly hurt the girl…"

Sango paled, Shippo screamed, and Inuyasha looked at a loss for words. Miroku, who had no idea what it meant to be bitten by a demon, was very confused. "That ass hole!" growled Inuyasha. "I will rip him apart for everything that he has done to Kagome!" he vowed.

"Inuyasha…calm yourself. I came here to tell you…either way, Naraku still has to die. I know that you understand that."

"But what about?" Inuyasha whimpered. "What about Kagome!"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru frowned.

Inuyasha blinked. "Isn't there some way in which we could reverse what Naraku has done?"

"I don't know, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru shrugged. "But if you plan on doing something, do it quickly. She is on Naraku's side right now. That makes her my enemy, as well as yours…"

"Not by choice!" Inuyasha defended her.

"None of that matters in this particular situation, does it?" growled Sesshoumaru before he left.

Inuyasha turned, and took off at a run for Kaede's village. He knew the old broad had always been able to help him in the past. He would have to see just how useful she would be in this situation.

"Kaede! I need your help! Kagome is…." He stopped short. Kikyou was standing in the room, talking to the old woman.

"Why, hello Inuyasha. I heard about the girl…" she smirked.

"What about Kagome?" demanded Kaede.

"The girl's name is Kagome!" he yelled at her.

Kikyou frowned. "Hmm…not so willing to kill my reincarnation as you were to kill me, Inuyasha? Is that it?"

"You're already dead!" he shouted back.

"Leave Kikyou." Kaede commanded.

"Kagome's in trouble!" Inuyasha yelped in exasperation.

"Hmm…I have been wondering how I was going to get my soul back," Kikyou mused before leaving the hut.

Inuyasha growled. He took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking to the old woman. "You have to help me, Kaede. Naraku has wiped Kagome's memory…she won't recognize any of us…and he has bitten her. I can't go after him now. I can't risk hurting her. I promised I would protect her. I can't go after Naraku now…"

Kaede nodded, allowing the hanyou to talk.

"Kagome is such a nice person. She helps people…she saves them, and she's saved me from myself on countless occasions. She fights alongside me, and she doesn't treat me differently because of what I am. I can not stand the fact that her life hangs in the balance. I know she risks her life her all the time, but this time is different, because none of this was her choice." He paused for a moment, reflecting on something. "I used to think I loved Kikyou…but I…I just…" he stammered. "I love Kagome, Kaede. I love her, but I failed her. I let Naraku get to her…and now I don't know what to do."

"I do not know what to tell ye," Kaede frowned. "I will have to research this. I have not experience in Naraku's types of demonic arts…" she admitted. "I am so sorry. I will offer my help where I can…"

"It's okay, Kaede." Inuyasha sighed.

Sango and Miroku boldly poked their heads inside the hut. Shippo, on the other hand, gave Inuyasha no such common courtesy. He walked right into the hut, his hands on his hips, and glared up at Inuyasha. "We have to save Kagome right now." He demanded. "She can not be my new mommy if she is with Naraku!"

"I wish it was that simple, Shippo," Inuyasha frowned.

"What do you mean? We've saved Kagome loads of times!" Shippo objected. "What makes this time any different than the others, Inuyasha? Kagome needs our help! We have to go save her!"

"You heard Sesshoumaru, Shippo." Sango whispered, walking slowly into the hut and picking the kitsune up. "Naraku has bitten her. That means we have to figure out how to undo what he has done before we can help her. You don't want us to charge in and end up hurting Kagome, do you?"

"No…." Shippo shook his head violently, tears stinging his eyes. "I want Kagome back!" he sobbed.

Inuyasha took him from Sango, cradling him in his arms. "I do too, Shippo. We'll figure it out. I promise. Okay?" he smiled at the small fox demon.

Shippo sighed deeply. "Inuyasha? Do…does Kagome's family know what has happened to her yet?" he whispered.

Inuyasha shook his head sadly. "No. Unfortunately that was my next stop…" He revealed. He turned to Sango and Miroku. "Come with me, please? I do not think I can do this alone…"

Inuyasha jumped through the well into the modern era, pulling Sango and Miroku in after him. Shippo jumped to the ground as soon as the small group was all safely inside the well house. First to greet them was Kagome's little brother Souta, who waved enthusiastically to Inuyasha when he saw him.

"Where's Kagome at?" he asked.

Inuyasha frowned. "Souta? Where is your mother? Please take us to her quickly…" he demanded.

Souta's happy expression fell from his face, and he motioned for Inuyasha and the others to follow him into the Higurashi household. He led them to the kitchen, where Kagome's mother was toweling her hands off at the sink. She smiled when she saw them. "Hello, Inuyasha! Is Kagome coming? Who are your friends?" she asked.

"This is Sango, Miroku, and Shippo." Inuyasha introduced in a monotone voice.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? Where is my daughter?" Ms. Higurashi threw her towel to the side and stared at the hanyou standing in front of her. She sat down in the nearest chair, and blinked. "What has happened?" she whispered.

Inuyasha sighed, taking her hands in his, and looked up into her eyes. "Ms. Higurashi…Kagome isn't coming…and she may not be coming home for a long time…"

"What happened?" She screamed. "What did you do, Inuyasha?"

"It wasn't his fault, ma'am." Miroku offered.

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "About a week ago, Kagome was kidnapped by Naraku. Today, we found out that Naraku has wiped out all of Kagome's memory of us…and of you…" he gulped. "And he has bitten her…."

Ms. Higurashi, tears in her eyes, nodded. "And what does that mean…he bit her?" she asked timidly.

"It means that he has bound himself to her. It is the demon form of marriage, and by his doing what he did, he has effectively stopped us from coming after him…" Sango explained.

"Why? He took my daughter!" she yelled at them.

"Because…because if we hurt him, Kagome feels the same pain. If we killed him…" Inuyasha blinked. "I am so sorry. I love your daughter, and I never meant for this to happen. I will get her back. I promise…." He whispered.

Miroku and Sango jumped in surprise at Inuyasha's words, but Shippo only smiled and nodded.

"I know you will, Inuyasha…" Ms. Higurashi sighed. "Please…don't let him hurt her. Get her back safely…." She pleaded, and Inuyasha nodded uncertainly.

>>>>>>

A/N: Long one, eh? Well, I hope you liked it! Please review and let me know! I'll update soon!