Chapter 1: A Choice

Vicious winds whipped at her clothes; she faced her foe, determined not to let him see her fear.

"So make your choice Miko."

Her mind racing in time with her heart beat; Kagome tried to think of someway to save them. She looked again at the portal he had opened, fighting a wave of nausea the evil youki provoked.

"Why use the Jewel to do this? Why?" Her voice rose slightly in panic. She took a calming breath, then continued, "You're almost dead, why not use the Jewel to heal yourself."

Her words surprised even herself. The last thing she wanted was Naraku alive...but it was her only option. The situation was so desperate she could think of no other.

His malicious laugh rang through the torrents of wind and chilled her to the bone.

"You fool, have you learned nothing? The desecration of the Jewel is all that I desire. To simply wish myself to heal would ruin everything! Do not think you can fool me, this is my trap!"

Damn. She had hoped he would be easily tricked. A feeble hope it had been too, knowing he was a master trickster.

"Do you think I had not foreseen this injury? I knew opening the portal would take a large amount of youki, and drain me of most of my power. You reacted, as I knew you would, attacking when I was weak, and walked right into my trap! Once you make your choice and the Jewel is tainted the blackness will restore me. I have no fear of death."

His assured words sickened her as much as the youki.

How can I fix this?

She closed her eyes, emotional pain and sorrow washed over her. As the Jewel's protector she must find a way to save its pure light. As a Miko she must fine a way to protect life and purify the evil threatening the world. But as a woman...she opened her eyes and looked to her love. He struggled viciously against his restraints, slashing though vine after vine, rage and fear compelling him to continue long after reason told him it was futile. Then she looked to the pedestal meters away. All that was visible amongst the small bundle of cloth wrappings was a pair of white ears and raven hair...

As a woman she must protect her family!

" Miko! Make your choice." Naraku's voice cut through her escalating panic, "Your time runs short. If I pass before you have made your decision nothing will be able to seal this portal, the evil souls from the spirit realm will plague the earth, and I will drag both your loved ones to hell with me!"

Tears sprang to her eyes. Damn! She had to stall a little longer; she needed more time to think.

"How do you think this will darken the Jewel?"

She was losing her poise. Desperation and fear were taking root in her soul.

Knowing this made him smile as he answered, "You are the Jewel's protector. For you to make a selfish wish upon it will be its damnation!"

She saw that for all his confident talk he was becoming impatient.

"I ask you again: will it be your love or your child? Blood is the only seal. Which one will die?"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled to her over the wind, "Don't be a baka! Save Katin!" He continued struggling, trying for all he was worth to free himself so he could take his women to safety.

She looked to him, her eyes windows to her troubled soul. He stopped his struggles long enough to convey his to her. Gods he just wanted her and the child safe!

Their baby's cry rang out. All Kagome's maternal instincts told her to run to her child, to comfort her and keep her safe. But as she looked into Inuyasha's eyes, she knew she could not make such a choice so easily.

"Miko," Naraku took back her attention. "You must chose. Who will die for the other to live?"

"Someone must die." She repeated looking at the mutilated body in front of her. If only his blood was pure enough to seal the portal...

She was struck with a sudden realisation.

"In order to seal the portal and save the earth, someone must die. In order for the Jewel's darkness to be unleashed I must choose one love over another, a selfish decision..."

Naraku did not like the way the fear was leaving her eyes.

"Yes!" He snapped, "Make your choice! If I die..."

She had heard all this already, and was tempted to just let him die and deal with the spirits as they came, but...she took a steadying breath.

She looked to the pedestal holding her darling daughter and forever sealed the memory of looking upon her beautiful face. Then she looked to her beloved mate. His fierce struggles and loud curses faded from her senses as she remembered his tender touch and loving words.

Stepping forward she faced Naraku's destroyed face.

He saw no anguish in her eyes. He saw no fear or pain. He saw only love and peace, and he knew in that instant she had seen through his trap.

"I have made my choice." Her voice was full of conviction and strength.

She turned her head slightly to catch Inuyasha's gaze once more. 'I love you' she mouthed to him. Allowing, only for a moment, her resolve to fall away and showed him her sorrow and love. Then she turned back to the demon.

She drew an arrow from her back and looked Naraku straight on.

"If someone must die..." The strength left her voice then, and she whispered, "It will be me!"

She closed her eyes and plunged the arrow into her heart.

Inuyasha watched and took the action like a physical blow.

Naraku screamed vicious defeat.

Kagome brought her fingers to the wound and gathered enough blood to fling into the portal. As her pure blood hit the blackness a light spread from the spot, closing the hole and sealing it against the spirits threatening to escape. Before it completely sealed a red light shot out and grabbed hold of Naraku, dragging him into the hell that was his rightful resting-place.

A deadly silence filled the battlefield.

Inuyasha starred at Kagome as she fell to her knees.

"Kagome..." he whispered.

She crumpled to the earth.

"KAGOME!"

He broke free of his bindings and ran to her side. Reaching her he fell to her side, grasping her to him. "Kagome! Kagome..."

She smiled weakly up to him.

"Bring Katin to me, please..."

He was reluctant to let her go, but nodded.

Once he was back he shifted her around so that she could hold their child. A little blood got on her wrappings.

"My little one," she whispered, smiling lovingly down at her daughter.

"Kagome..." he knew nothing he could say to her, his fear was choking him, tightening his throat.

"Inu-y-yasha..."

Her grasp loosened around the child and he grabbed her back before Kagome dropped her.

He looked down to her, and his horror and sorrow-filled eyes caught hers. He saw her life was quickly draining away, a peaceful glaze was stealing over her eyes.

"No..." he could manage only that feeble word, before she slipped away.

He stared down at her lifeless body.

The baby wiggled in his arms, he switched his gaze to her and felt tears spring to his eyes.

Suddenly a bright light surrounded them.

Panicked Inuyasha sprang to his feet, clutching the child close.

The light was coming from the Jewel, which had fallen to the ground after Naraku had disappeared.

There was no doubt that the light was pure, it was blindingly so. A sense of love and peace passed through him as the light fell away, retracting back into the Jewel.

That was Kagome. Telling me everything will be fine. Letting me know she loves us...

He looked down to her body and was surprise to see it had disappeared.

"Nani...?" quickly he looked back to the Jewel. It seemed to be shrinking...

"NO!"

Irrationally he wanted it back.

The Jewel had taken Kagome's body and pure energy to be completely purified, now that it was cleansed there was no reason for it to exist. It shrank into non-existence.

He took a step towards where it had been.

She's gone.

The baby squirmed in his arms, letting out a hungry squawk.

He looked down upon his flesh and blood, tears filling his eyes.

And we are alone...

Authors Note:

Thanks to all for reading my little fic. Please review and let me know if I should post some more. I have up to chapter five written but I don't wanna post anything if its not worth it..that means no more typing and just writing for enjoyment..hmmm..maybe I shouldn't be asking for reviews, haha..anywho, it gets to be a pretty good little story about Inuyasha and Katin.but I'll leave it up to you guys if I should continue..

Later Dayz!