Hello there, if you're reading this then something has caught your attention and hopefully will keep it. This will be an Inuyasha/Kagome/Hiei story. Sorry if that doesn't interest you and I'm not sure how it will end up. It's possible I will do an alternate ending sorta deal so don't be surprised if that's the case. Any ways enjoy. Reviews are appreciated and welcomed, even if its to say you hated it. All critics have their place in history and most ended up in dungeons…

Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to someone else's and are only literary devices to entertain the public.

Desire and Regret

Chapter one: Rivers of blood and death

"Rivers are roads which move,

and which carry us whither

we desire to go." Blaise Pascal

Blackness enveloped her, her fears and sorrows growing numb and distant. It was hard to feel anything at this point. The world was reduced to a single sliver of moon light highlighting Inuyasha's pained expression and silvered tears that trekked a path down his soft face. It was odd, to say the least that the end hadn't come for them after Naraku was defeated, nor in the Feudal Era at all, no, the end had come within a suburban area of Tokyo on the hard marble steps leading up to her family's shrine. Now that she paused to think on it, she had to admit that it had been her stupidity that ended it all for her, if only she hadn't been so kind hearted, perhaps then she wouldn't be lying in a pool of her own blood tasting the metallic liquid on her tongue and paying dearly for the past sins of her nature.

"Yasha," Even her voice was deserting her in death. The sound, normally melodious and sweet was garbled and gurgled past the blood congesting her throat. Inuyasha had leaned closer to catch her final words. It was funny the things you realize as your death comes over you, she could feel the labored breaths as blood swamped her lungs and restricted her air flow. Her heart slowed to a dull beat then stuttered to a stop, its job finished now that all the blood had fled the petite body of the sacred priestess. As inky obscurity took total possession of her vision, the last sight she registered before her eyes closed forever was a frantic Inuyasha.

Neon lights blinded her in a way she had never known before. Trying to block it out, she blinked and pressed her eyes tightly closed, the action not helping to ease her pain. Lifting a hand to her face she wondering briefly why her body didn't hurt anymore. Experimentally, she flexed the muscles it would take to sit up, finding them to be in fluid working order she rose and despite the pain opened her eyes. A startled gasp escaped her as she found her self staring down Inuyasha's back, her head having passed through his chest. Freaking out, Kagome stood up quickly and spun around to stare wide eyed at Inuyasha cradling her dead body. Feeling morbid and intrusive, but unable to look away, she watched as a person seeing a train wreck would.

Inuyasha sat much as she had last seen him, only instead of being in his arms; she was standing outside of her self watching herself. It's like a bad dream, only I can't wake up or control the outcome… Letting that thought pass, she stared in horror and fascination at her empty shell. The blood littering her shone a ghastly black and oozed down the pristine white marble creating a crimson river of precious life. Her face was flaccid and immobile; her deceased blue eyes were staring glossily at the sky seeing nothing. Blood ran from the corner of her lips seeping down her chin to her neck. Her hands lay limply at her sides; blood was present there too. The rest of her was too hard to see as Inuyasha was pressed tightly to her body.

Taking the time, it's not like I have anything but time, she studied him. His face was pressed into the hallow of her throat, his hands cradled her head delicately her hair twisted through his fingers. Her petite body was pulled into his lap his legs curled up keeping her as close as possible. Sobs shook his form, jiggling her wilted figure, and making it dance in a macabre way.

"Inuyasha." She tried calling to him, seeing if he could hear her or not. It possibly could have been good timing on his part, or maybe he really did hear her, she didn't know, but he looked up suddenly at the moon high over head and snarled his rage to the callous heavens. Seemingly drained, Inuyasha, no longer crying, but glassy eyed and stricken, glanced at Kagome's dead body. Time appeared to stop as he leaned in slowly and placed a gentle kiss to the parted lips of his miko. Pain flared bright as a flame inside her heart as she watched the scene. Using his clawed hand, he wiped the blood from her face and closed her eyes; Kagome shuddered at the serene look on her own face.

"I'm so sorry Kagome, Kami only knows how much. I should have been there for you, this never should have happened. I…I love you. I always did. I should have told you sooner, because now I'll never get the chance to see if you loved me too." She shattered, or it felt like it any way. How could she possibly not? The man she had loved for the last five years finally admitted what she had been craving to hear, only the irony was she was dead and couldn't tell him that it was reciprocated. It was then that Kagome began to let things she hadn't ever felt or let rule her as a living person invade her; anger, a sense of cynicism and a sadistic sense of humor roiled in her soul. Life had been cruel, but it seemed death was a bitch.

It was at that precise moment that the sky above them ripped open and a turbulent portal of black and violet spat out a girl floating on an oar. Startled, Kagome took a step back and nearly fell from the marble step at least ten feet above the street. Nearly, because the girl from the portal shot out a hand and latched onto Kagome's wrist yanking her back to safety.

"Wouldn't want you to take a nasty spill!" The girl was bubbly and overly energetic considering the circumstance, at least to Kagome's way of thinking. Then the blue haired girl threw her head back and mirth tinkled from her parted lips joyously. Great, the only person that can see or touch me is crazy…the thought came unbidden, but it was apparently true. Inuyasha remained oblivious to the two women hovering near him and it wasn't exactly subtle to fly around on an oar.

"Get it? Oh come on, you dead people have absolutely no sense of humor. You're dead,…you can't really be injured,…nasty spill? Getting there yet?" Kagome stared at the other girl, her face completely bored and passive. The girl sighed heavily and landed next to Inuyasha.

"Was he your boyfriend?" Kagome followed the girl's line of vision to Inuyasha still holding her tranquil body. Apparently, even in death I can be embarrassed, Kagome thought as her face bloomed scarlet. Shaking her head in a negative way, she turned back to the other woman.

"Too bad, he's really cute. Anyway, I'm Botan. I'm your ticket to the other life, so if you could please just step this way…" Turning, Botan went to open another portal, but was halted by a hand whipping her around. Finding herself staring at two incensed orbs of azure flame the deity of death suddenly felt very anxious and couldn't help but fidget.

"What do you mean the other life? I have an important quest to fulfill. I'm not done with this life yet, there's been a mistake." Kagome was shocked at the growl in her voice, it wasn't that she wanted to die, but she didn't really have a problem with being dead either, perhaps it was the shock. Inuyasha even rubbed off on me after life…she mused. Botan, who had been expecting something of the sort, masked her anxiousness with a cool façade.

"I'm telling you your time is up. Everyone thinks that they are special, that some quest, or endeavor, or situation needs to be taken care of before they pass. Believe me, it doesn't. People die all the time and leave important things to the hands of fate. I'm sure your passing won't end the world or change the fabric of time or anything. Now, don't make me go all Grim Reaper on you, ok? Just take this as inevitable and except it. Can we go now? It's not exactly healthy to stare at your own corpse for so long…" Glaring at her, Kagome listened to Botan give her speech, then she sighed and turned to Inuyasha one last time.

"Please be okay Inuyasha." Nodding to Botan, she followed the death harbinger to the swirling portal leading to her after life and hoped that that bit about her death not bringing the end of the world was true…