Somewhere in Time

Leap of Faith

Her breathing was ragged, as if every breath she took was a torture to her lungs. She wanted to scream in agony, but her throat was dry, parched. There was also a raging pain in her shoulder, as if it was on fire. And then there was that excruciating torment that was creeping all over her, like acid trickling in her veins. The poison.

Help, her mind begged, but she had no voice. Please, help me.

The anguish went on and lasted for what seemed like an eternity. She mindlessly floated in oblivion in perpetual torture, unable to cling to anything solid... anything at all.

And there was that constant pain that tugged at her. It wasn't the excruciating agony of the poison. It was something else, something much more painful. Her heart ached. The kind that seemed to open a gaping hole in the chest. Raw. Jagged. The memory of Inuyasha's betrayal tore at her mercilessly. Everything she'd believed in—his loyalty, his friendship, his vow—they all disappeared in a puff of smoke the moment he left her to die. It was a destructive force that annihilated all hope inside her.

But gradually, even when her limbs felt lifeless and desolated, air slowly returned to her lungs. A sort of invisible string stitched her broken parts and warmth seeped into her bones. Suddenly, a jolt broke her free from unconsciousness, and she gasped as her body sat upright in an effort to pull in more air into her lungs.

Faintly, she heard a voice speaking to her in gentle tones. It sounded angelic, comforting... yet very familiar. Her eyes flew open and looked around, blinking. Her blurry eyesight slowly focused on an indigo crescent moon just a feet from her pale face. Narrow yellow-golden eyes stared at her in deep concern.

"Are you feeling all right, Kagome?"

Head reeling from shock and surprise, she choked back a gasp. Did the regal daiyoukai just call her by her name? As she absorbed this bit, she realized he was waiting for her acknowledgement. She cleared her throat and nodded. "I'm fine, thank you."

She leaned back and discovered that she was propped up against a tree, with Sesshomaru's mokomoko-sama serving as cushion. A blush crept up her cheeks knowing that the daiyoukai was sitting just beside her, with a small space between them.

Comfortable silence settled. Absently, her hand wandered to her right shoulder, where she remembered Naraku's tentacles had been. She was surprised to find it cleaned and bandaged.

"A healer in the south purified the poison in your wound. The herbs have lulled the pain, but the concoction will lose its effect at sundown. Please alert me once you feel discomfort."

Kagome choked up, remembering how the inu daiyoukai swooped in and narrowly saved her life. "Arigato, Sesshomaru-sama..."

When would she ever stop thanking this feudal lord who once tried to kill her? Yet the one whom she trusted to keep her safe... ended up betraying her over his lover fifty years past.

She had accepted death—no, she wanted to die—just to escape the anguish that had torn through her like a jagged knife.

She felt like crying but strangely, the tears didn't come.

The daiyoukai suddenly spoke up.

"Kagome, I... would like to apologize." Sesshomaru was looking away. All she could see was the magenta stripes on his left cheek.

"Apologize for what?"

He met her gaze. "For not coming sooner. If I had only..."

"No," Kagome interrupted, shaking her head. She tentatively reached out to touch his cheek, but hesitated. She settled for touching his hand beside her right thigh. "You saved me. If you hadn't arrived, I... I would have died. You were there when all I could think of was dying. So, thank you. I owe you my life."

They were silent for a long moment. Absently, she traced his slender fingers and sharp claws. Sesshomaru didn't recoil from her touch nor reprimand her for invading his personal space. Her mind wandered, comforted by his reassuring presence. Then her gaze idled on the Bone Eater's Well not far from their spot. The pull of her era was strong, and she remembered she wanted to go home.

Regretfully, she withdrew her hand and sat up. She wobbled for a moment before gaining her balance. "Sesshomaru-sama, I'd like to go home for now. I-I need to get away from Inuyasha."

In the blink of an eye, she was lifted up. Strong arm carried her, yet the grip was gentle, kind. Sesshomaru stared down at her. "If that is your will."

Blushing, she hid her face in his soft fur as he walked towards the old well. This is so unlike him...

He paused by the well and Kagome expected him to let her down, but he didn't. His golden eyes searched her brown ones, as if internally debating about something.

"Kagome..." he began, his voice quiet and calm. "If it is all right with you, I would like to visit your era."

Her heart sunk. She hated to disappoint the daiyoukai who saved her. "I would love to, Sesshomaru-sama, but only Inuyasha could pass through the well. Shippo and my brother Souta tried once, but they failed."

"May I ask why?"

"Kaede-obaasan thinks it must be the subjugation beads. It acts as Inuyasha's connection to me, so he's able to pass through."

"Connection..." Sesshomaru murmured, deep in thought. There it was again, that strange pull that seemed to come from him. She remembered the last time this happened, the moment where she saw—at least she thought she saw—silver and pink waves. He looked down at her. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded without hesitation. "I do."

Without another word, Sesshomaru tensed and suddenly leaped inside the Bone Eater's Well. She felt the swirl of energy around them. One second later, they landed on the firm ground.

Kagome looked up, half-expecting to see the clear blue skies of the feudal Japan. To her immense surprise, she saw the ceiling of the Higurashi temple.

But most surprising of all was the stoicdaiyoukai still holding her in his arm.