Title: A Shadow of a Love

Pairings: Kagome/Sasuke

Summary: InuYasha is gone, having given himself to the jewel in exchange for its disappearance. Now in her time and on her way to the Leaf Village she meets Sasuke a man who makes her heart race. But with the shadow of her love for InuYasha in the way, will she be able to love Sasuke.

oOo

It was snowing, was the first thought that came to Kagome's mind as she opened the well houses doors. The frozen flakes landed gently on her face and clothing slowly was causing them to become damp.

She sniffed as her blue eyes welded with tears. She took a step out into the ever growing snow, her sock clad feet instantly becoming wet.

As if on autopilot she moved towards what gave her the most comfort now, the Sacred Tree.

Standing tall and proud the magnificent tree stood. The wards blew with the wind as its leaves, one's that never fell, gracefully danced.

"Please." She begged and raised her hand to its scared surface. "I-InuYasha..." She tentatively whispered his name.

No response.

"InuYasha." She called out louder. When all she heard was the bristling of the leaves her heart gave a painful jerk. Was he really gone to her?

Suddenly her family shrine disappeared to be replaced with nothing but white, the snow covered ground melted into white, the sky was not white, everything was blank. All that remained was the Three of Ages.

Kagome's heart soared as she turned to look around. This was just like before when Kikyo had thrown her down the well after she had shot InuYasha. He had to be here! "InuYasha!" She called out happily. When she couldn't find him she frowned. Where was he!

"Kagome." A voice called and she turned back to the tree and froze. No...

In front of her was Midoriko, standing proud as she stared at Kagome, her blue eyes sad. Both women stared at one another, neither daring to break the fragile silence. The wind blew through their hair, lifting it, causing it to flow around them in a halo of inky silk.

"How fair ye, Shikon no Miko?"

"I am well but why are you where?" Kagome asked.

"Ye called for the Inu Hanyou, InuYasha, no?" At her nod Midoriko continued. "InuYasha is no longer of this world. He sacrificed himself in order for ye to escape the fate the Shikon created, a fate made especially for ye to suffer."

Tears stung at her eyes as she listened to Midoriko. How could her handsome rugged Inu be gone? How? A voice suddenly echoed throughout the vast emptiness. Turning around as fast as she could, Kagome's eyes locked with the golden orbs of her love, InuYasha, who had appeared a few feet away.

He looked as handsome as always with his beautiful long white hair and amber eyes, that gentle smile that only she knew about, and the same red clothing.

"Be strong Kagome, if not for yourself but for me, please." He said as he gave her a small smile, bitterness hidden behind his love for her. "I love you and am sorry I never got the chance to tell you how much I did. I was in denial thinking I was betraying Kikyo but I then realized… I wasn't."

"You... Love me?" Kagome gasped in shock. He loved her! After being rejected for Kikyo for so many years he loved her! InuYasha walked over to her a sad smile playing on his lips. Strong tanned arms enveloped Kagome in a warm embrace as he buried his nose in her hair, talking in her scent of lavender.

"I was scared." He admitted after a moment of silence.

"Of what?" She questioned as her head rested on his shoulder.

"Of being hurt. Who would love me?" he asked her as his bangs shielded his eyes, hiding the growing self loathing that began to bubble within them. "I'm not one or the other. Not really a demon, not really human. I'm not either, that's all. There was no place for me, so I had to make my own. And then I realized, I had a place, but I was the only one in it. I didn't know any other way to live. Kikyo was a woman who I thought I could eventually trust but in the end it was our own selfish desires for acceptance that not only led to her end but mine as well. Then you came and you turned my world upside down. I questioned everything I had ever known, everyone I had ever met. I grew to care for you but I feared your rejection, your repulsion at having a Hanyou who loved you."

His heart beat was strong just like his soul. A spirit who would never be broken. "But that's what it means when you're different. Nobody trusts you, your always the first to be blamed, and it's always, always your fault! I knew nothing else but scorn and hate. My own brother wanted me dead so why would it be any different with you right? But you proved me wrong. You taught me so much, you thought me how to trust and love with my entire being, with my heart and soul. Yet there was always that fear, that doubt that held me back from loving you completely. I know it was wrong of me but I couldn't stand to be the end of you too. When Kikyo was revived that love I had for her did come back, along with guilt, but that love was no were near as strong as what I felt for you. But I still went back to her because she was safe. I didn't have to worry about her because I knew she was strong enough to defend herself, she didn't need me, not like you did. I figured if I couldn't have you then I could have Kikyo the closest thing I would ever get to you. I was a coward and I was a fool Kagome. I couldn't risk losing you but I couldn't live not having you either."

He pulled griped her chin to full her face up to look at him. "Once I had caught on to the jewels plans I knew I had to stop it, I knew I had to save you from a life where it was either fight or die. I couldn't lose you; I wouldn't allow that to happen."

His words hit home as she realized how much he had suffered and just how much he had sacrificed all for her. Staring up at him she knew that she would never love another man as much as she loved him, never would she find another like him. He was her everything. InuYasha was her light in this dark world; he was the air she breathe in, the earth she walked upon. She wanted so badly to be with him. She wanted to spend eternity and them so in his arms. Never in her life had Kagome wanted anything more than she did InuYasha.

"Then where did you go? All we saw was a bright flash of light and you were gone. Sango and Kirara helped me search while Shippo and Miroku tried to help track you."

"I'm in the neither land."

Kagome gasped in shock. "How! How do I get him out Midoriko!" She demanded as she turned to face the great priestess. There had to be a way to bring her beloved Hanyou back to her.

Midoriko shook her head as she sadly sighed. "InuYasha is dead Kagome. He gave his soul to the Shikon in order for it to complete ye wish, an eye for an eye. The jewel would only vanish at the price of a life, and InuYasha gave his so that it would not take ye soul. The Shikon vanished sending him to the neither world to rest in peace along with the souls within."

"So he's gone for good..."

"The Inu Hanyou InuYasha is dead, child." Midoriko confirmed. "You have my deepest and sincerest condolences."

And just like that she felt her world shatter. If not for InuYasha's grip on her waist Kagome would have fallen to the floor in tears. She buried her head into InuYasha's chest crying out her sorrow. "No! No! You can't be dead! You promised you would always come back to me you idiot! You promised! You promised. Your promises…" she cried as she banged her fist on his chest.

InuYasha's stared straight ahead, allowing her to hit him. His heart hurt, not his actual heart –although it did hurt, but Kagome. She, his heart and should was hurting and it was his entire fault. How he wished he could take all her pain away but he couldn't. Feeling Kagome's weight pull down he allowed her weight to pull them down sliding to the floor with her.

Placing one clawed hand on her head he just held her tightly. "I'm so sorry Kagome." He said as he hugged her tighter, burring his face in the crown of her head. "Please stop crying, please." He whimpered as he began to rock her back and forth.

"How am I supposed to go on without you? How can I live knowing your gone, gone forever! I would rather have the well be sealed with you on the other side than having to live with the fact that you are dead! You are my life InuYasha! I-I love you! I love you. I love you… please come back to me… tell me this is all a lie, that I'm still trapped inside the jewel waiting for you to come at get me…please."

God she was hurting. Her chest felt tight as she fought to breathe, her throat felt as if she were being chocked. Her body felt so heavy. He couldn't be dead, he just couldn't. This was all a lie. She was still trapped in the jewel and it was just playing tricks on her. InuYasha would burst through this illusion soon. He would smile at her and save her like he always does. Her InuYasha would come for her and tell her it was all a cruel lie made up by the jewel.

Midoriko couldn't bear to watch as Kagome's thoughts sounded out around them. The love she held for InuYasha was strong, the strongest she had ever seen. The love they both held for each other was far stronger than any bond Midoriko could ever hope to see, far stronger then her bond with her lord. Seeing how much Kagome and InuYasha were suffering pulled at her heart. She was the creator of the Shikon. She was the reason the accursed babble existed. Their suffering and pain was all her fault. If she had only allowed him to accompany her into battle she would have never needed to give up her life to beat Magatsuhi. Her stubborn nature had caused misfortune for all of Japan. Just because she wanted to be selfish for once in her life, just because she wanted to spar the man she loved from fighting Magatsuhi. The guilt she felt was consuming as she watched InuYasha try desperately to console Kagome all while trying to hide his own pain. It was all her fault Midoriko thought as she felt for the first time in her life self loathing.

"Kagome." She called out as she walked over to the mourning couple. She went to place a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "I am truly sorry f-"

"Don't touch me!" Kagome screamed as she slapped Midoriko's hand off of her shoulder. She turned hate filled eyes to the ancient Miko. "Don't ever touch me." She hissed.

"Kagome don't." InuYasha said trying to calm her down.

Kagome's head whipped to stare at him in shock. "Don't what? Scream at her? And why shouldn't I! She's the reason for all this pain! If she would have never created the damn jewel then none of this would have happened! Don't tell me that you're fine with all of this."

"She did it out of love Kagome. And yes something good did come out of the jewel." He said but before he got a chance to explain she jumped out of his arms and glared at him.

"So you're telling me that the jewel is good!" she shouted as more tears fell from her eyes. "What good is it that you're now dead because of it hmmm! What! Tell me!"

Before she knew it she was within her arms again. She tried to pull herself away but InuYasha's arms held her tighter. "Let me go! Let me go InuYasha!"

"Will you just shut up and listen!" he screamed at her making Kagome freeze in his arms. Taking the chance he spoke again, his voice softer. "If it weren't for the jewel I would have never met you. I met Kikyo because of the jewel and in doing so I tied myself to you. That's the good thing that came out of the jewel Kagome. You. If Midoriko had never made the jewel then I would have never met you Kagome… and to have lived without you, only that would be torture."

Kagome hiccupped as she wrapped her arms around him holding him closer. "But for me a day only InuYasha, only that would be death. How am I to go on without you for the rest of my days?"

"Our love Kagome. Remember that I always loved you. Remember the good times. Remember our loved that blooded from all this strife. Remember." He said. "I will always be with you Kagome, always. Even when you find another I will always be with you, always."

"Never." She said. "I could never fall in love again, not after loving you."

Tears pickled at InuYasha's eyes as he heard her words. He knew how she felt because even if he were alive he would never be able to love another like he did her. He loved her not for the way she danced with his ageless, but for the way the sound of her name could silence his demons. She was his light in the dark world. She was his everything.

Looking at his pinky he stared at the red string tied around it. Looking at Midoriko she nodded making InuYasha take in a deep breath before he exhaled. "Remember that I always did and always will love you Kagome." He said before he pushed her.

Everything happened in slow motion. As she descended towards the ground it felt as if she were slowly falling. Kagome's vision began to go dark but not before seeing the white fade away to be replaced by her shrine and a flash of yellow. Her last though before falling into unconsciousness was InuYasha.

InuYasha watched as Kagome gently touch the shrine floor from the small closing portal. Turning to look at Midoriko he silently asked her if he did the right thing.

"It is for the best if you truly wanted her happiness." She said.

Nodding InuYasha's gaze went back to his finger. The red strong was still tied to his pinky but it was severed. He hoped she really did find her happiness because what he just did had just destroyed his heart because he let her go. He let Kagome go and now she would never be his, never again.

oOo

So what do you think? Was it good? If you haven't noticed this chapter is from my Ranma/InuYasha crossover but recently I have decided to build up on it but for Naruto lol. Sorry guys but I just couldn't help myself. Should I continue?

~MODK