Healing A Hollow Heart

Chapter One: Love Me, Tease Me, but Never Leave Me

Revised.

This is my first time in a while continuing this story. I hope you'll all be patient with me and follow or vote my story. I'll do my best this time to keep up with updates.

Thank you!

-Codexa
       

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Kagome couldn't breathe. Air had long ago left her lungs to escape the one strangling her. Her arms were limp by her sides as she just hung there, bleeding from where he had struck her. Sango and Miroku laid on opposite sides of her, drenched in blood. He, in trying to get to her, had killed them. The blue-eyed girl had sent Shippou on Kirara to find Sesshomaru with the hope that they might survive...
She still couldn't believe her best friend would turn on them when they were so close to their goal. Tears that had sprung to her eyes long ago were slowly beginning to stream down her cheeks. "Inuyasha, why?" she managed to choke out.

His smirk slowly turned sadistic. "Did you really think you could keep the jewel from us forever?"

'Us?'

Kikyo stepped from behind him, a smug look on her features. "Yes, us."

Kagome's eyes widened a fraction at the older priestess. Did she have him under another spell? If she did, would she be able to break it to save them both?

As if reading her mind, Kikyo laughed, "There's nothing you can do for him, little priestess. He has finally chosen the right path to defeat Naraku!"

Kagome could feel her heart splinter her incarnation's words. So that was it. He had chosen Kikyo over her. More tears spilled down her cheeks as the realization hit. She was going to die at the hands of her best friend, and there was nothing anyone could do. Her eyes fluttered closed, and an image of the fox child appeared before her in the darkness. "Shippou, I'm so sorry, she whispered to him.

"Why did you let him kill you, Kagome?" he said back bitterly. "We needed you. We still do..."

The younger priestess bent down to the pup's level. "I'm not as strong as Kikyo. I can't defeat her," she said softly. "That's why Inuyasha chose her over me..."

A slight frown came over Shippou's emerald-green eyes as he took the one he considered mother's face in his tiny paws. "Kagome... Forget about Inuyasha. He's an idiot if he can't see what's in front of him." An image of her friends shadowed behind him. Sango, Miroku, Kirara; her second family was all there. "We care about you, and that's all that matters."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Shippou..." He was right. How could she be dubbed guardian of the Shikon no Tama and give up so easily? Her friends needed her! But how was she going to escape?

Suddenly, another being replaced Shippou image. It was... a woman? She was beautiful. Any ebony braid fell to her knees, and holy female robes garnished with demon armor flowed behind her as she made her way to the younger priestess. This woman was definitely an enigma, but the flower marking on her forehead gave Kagome the feeling she had seen her somewhere before. Kagome's eyes lowered to her tennis shoes.

She didn't deserve to be in the presence of such grace, beauty, and power.

A low growl of fury caused her to clench her eyes shut as she awaited the older priestess to go off on her. Instead, the feeling of warm hands on her shoulders gave Kagome the courage to look the woman in her gray eyes.

"My child," she said softly. "As the fox child said, that hanyou is an idiot if he cannot see that you are more than worthy. The only reason you seem weak is that you have only half a soul... Higurashi Kagome of strong heart and mind. We, of the jewel, have come to the decision to give you a second chance. We will combine your soul with that of another."

The girl's eyes widened. She was getting a second chance! But who would they choose to link with her spirit?

As if having read her mind, the older priestess smiled. "Kagome, calm yourself. We would not put with someone who wouldn't be able to help you." At Kagome's nod, she waved her hands.

Kagome watched as another woman appeared on the ground beside the older priestess. Eyelids lightly shut and snowy strands caressing her chin, this new woman seemed as helpless as Kagome often felt.

Kagome allowed her gaze to travel lower down the woman's body then back up.

From what Kagome could tell, this woman was in bad shape. Her kimono was partially shredded, and where there was cloth missing, blood replaced.

The time-traveling priestess knelt beside the woman, pushing her fingers through her pyro-colored bangs. She was breathing, but barely. What did the older miko mean by showing her this? How would a half-dead enigma help her?

Again, the woman answered the girl's unspoken questions. "This demon has been in the same state for over since the creation of the Shikon no Tama. When I came across her, I had tried to nurse her back to health; however, I was attacked soon after by demons intent on killing me. To ensure her safety, I pulled our souls into the jewel you know as the Shikon no Tama... She may not look it, Kagome, but she has great potential."

A sharp intake of air could be heard from the black-haired girl. "Y-You must be—"

The older woman smiled gently. "Yes, I am Midoriko. But that aside, will you merge souls with this demon woman?"

Giving the demon one more once over, Kagome turned to Midoriko. "Do I have another choice?"

"Good. Place both hands over the black star on the woman's chest, and I shall do the rest."Kagome did as she was told as the older woman began to chant a vaguely familiar prayer. It was then everything was engulfed in a luminous pink light.

"Wait! Won't my powers purify her soul?" Kagome shouted last minute.

"I shall handle it, Kagome. For now, just rest."

Inuyasha smirked as Kagome's breathing finally stopped. Now he could take the jewel for his beloved Kikyo! He reached up to snap off the Shikon around her neck only to have a strong force stop him. His eyes traveled back to its owner. With her eyes still closed, he assumed it was her last breath in trying to protect it.

He didn't know how wrong he was.

"So you have some fight left in you, wench, too bad it won't be enough!" he said smugly, reaching for it once more.

Again. he got the same result. This time Kagome's eyes opened. Kagome's eyes were no longer the vibrant blue he was used to. In their place, smoldering coals drowned in honey peered at him through narrow lids.

"Do not. Touch me. Half-breed." Pushing off the tree she was held against, Kagome slammed her foot in between his legs!

Inuyasha grimaced, dropping her to grab forbidden areas.

Once on her feet, Kagome brought her body around until her foot connected with the half demon's jaw.

His head collided with that of another tree, adding injury to insult.

"Men," Kagome said before turning to Kikyo. She was gone. There was no point in going after her now. Besides, she had company coming this way.

Kagome's body dropped like a dishrag to the ground a moment before Kirara soared into view, Shessomaru falling into flight behind her. Shippou leaped onto Sesshomaru's shoulder as the elder demon gathered the girl in his arms.

"Don't worry, Kagome, soon you're gonna be okay," whispered Shippou.

As they took off, they were unaware of the cold brown eyes watching them from the shadows.

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Thanks for reading! Catch ya next time!