Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own the anime known as "Inuyasha" or, as much as I'd like to, Sesshomaru's fluff. This is a fact that both you and I are going to have to accept so that we may move on with our lives, however pathetic or pitiful they may be.

AN: This is totally AU because, honestly, I barely watch Inuyasha and the only reason I wrote this was to prove to myself that I can, in fact, write something serious that might make some sort of sense to somebody who did. Yes, I am aware that this is a horrifically clichéd fic that has been written countless times, with pretty much the same wording, but whatever. Oh, and my apologies for any OOC actions and / or major suckage. Like I said, I don't really watch Inuyasha. Perhaps I should. Hmm.

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It seemed as if the sun would never rise, but neither of them wanted it to anyway, for the morning sun would mark the beginning of their final adventure, and the end of their first journey. The last Shikon jewel shard could be seen in the horizon, but at a price that neither was willing to pay.

The night was dark, almost gloomy, and the unwanted silence lingered, as delicate and beautiful as a stained glass window or a small monarch butterfly. Both leaned against the trunk of an old oak tree; one in deep contemplation, the other in mild bewilderment. They both had so many things to say, but the former didn't know where to begin and the latter just didn't know how to say it. She shattered the quiet first.

"Inuyasha…" she began, her voice as clear and pure as the silence she had so vandalized, "The Shikon jewel is almost complete… we only have one more shard to go. Over there…" She pointed northward, to nothing in particular, and glanced at him, expecting him to say something, anything encouraging. She would have even settled for a 'You worry too much about these things, Kagome,' but she received no response. She continued, "You know what's going to happen when we get it, don't you? The Shikon jewel will be whole again and… you won't need me anymore. I'm going to have to go home. We're never going to see each other again, Inuyasha…"

Kagome paused again, sure that she would get some sort of response out of him, but only the leaves acknowledged her words as they rustled in the trees. Her eyes began to well up with tears and a small sob escaped her as she spoke, her voice rising with each sentence and breaking in between words, "Why aren't you answering me? Do you… do you want me to go? Have I ever meant anything to you at all?" She paused, hoping that he would say something to prove her wrong, but he did not. He only sat, eyes closed, cross-legged, under the bough of the tree, as if she weren't even there. Tears began rolling down her cheeks in rapid succession, as if they had been trapped inside her for years and had finally found the exit. "I've never meant anything to you, have I?! You were only using me to get the Shikon jewel! I thought you changed! You told me that you changed, and I believed you! I trusted you! YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED, INUYASHA!"

Kagome collapsed to the ground as the sun's vermillion rays pierced the night, revealing every tear that had been formerly hidden in the darkness. She had been reduced to a quivering mass, jerking at every thought of kindness he had ever shown her, believing it all to be a lie, just so that he could get what he wanted. Inuyasha sneered at her as he stood up, red robes and all, and held her in his arms.

"Idiot…"