Unsung

By Kathryn Denson

Song by Vanessa Carlton

Kagome tried not to cry as she remembered the way Inuyasha had looked at Kikyo—the way he'd never looked at her before. And to think, five minutes before that he'd been telling Kagome just how useless she was—that she couldn't use a bow and arrow to save her life and that she was getting in his way even more than she had in the first place.

But even as she tried, the tears slipped down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly. She wasn't going to give him this pleasure! She wasn't!

She jumped off of her bed and walked into another room where a piano was waiting for her. She started playing on the piano, her gray eyes now frustrated. She had to get this off of her chest, and she needed to do it badly.

"If only I could get into that corner of your head,

"Where things finally match, and meet the standards that you set.

"Oh, how I wish I was the treasure that you were looking for!

"I bet I would feel better if only I could find the door."

No, she thought, I'll never find that door. Inuyasha wouldn't let her in even if she did…he'd lock it, and when she found the next door, he'd lock that one, too.

"I am crying,

"You aren't trying,

"I am melting away.

"I wait for the words on the tip of your tongue."

Why? Why didn't he just say he loved her? Oh, of course…

"I'm only as good as the last one."

Kikyo. Kikyo was still there, and he had loved Kikyo, too. Kikyo loved him, and she'd told him that. Kagome hadn't told him yet, or even told him how upset she was, for that matter. Not that it WOULD matter.

"Well, you decide and I abide as my song goes unsung.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Why couldn't things just be like they were before the centipede monster had pulled her into the well? Her grades were down, and her self-esteem was down, and she was running off back and forth between the Feudal era and her own time. When she was in the 14th century, she missed the 1990's. In the 90's, she missed the 14th century.

"Things are going crazy and I'm not sure who to blame.

"Everything is changing and I do not feel the same.

"I'm slipping through the cracks of floors; I thought that I was strong.

"I'm trying to find a place where I can feel like I belong."

And Inuyasha just couldn't understand how she felt. He didn't even want to!

"Well, I am crying,

"You aren't trying,

"I am melting away.

"I wait for the words on the tip of your tongue."

No, he never would tell her that he loved her…because he didn't.

"I'm only as good as the last one."

She'd just been a replacement for Kikyo, and now that Kikyo was resurrected, Inuyasha had no use for her reincarnation.

"Well, you decide and I abide as my song goes unsung.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Why? Why couldn't he see…? He had to learn…sometime.

"If I could be the lesson that you learn, you learn.

"If only I could be the last one that love burns, it burns.

"If only I could be the lesson that you learn, you learn.

"If only I could be the last one that love burns, it burns…yeah."

She'd never be what he had wanted her to be. She just wasn't as good as Kikyo. Kikyo was quieter, smarter, more experienced, and prettier. Why would he want loud, stupid, inexperienced, ugly Kagome?

"If only I could get into that corner of your head,

"Where things finally match and meet the standards that you set.

"Oh, how I wish I was the treasure that you were looking for.

"I bet I would feel better if only I could find the door."

Kikyo was just her better. Tears slipped down Kagome's cheeks and she didn't bother to wipe them away as she continued playing.

"Well, I am crying,

"You aren't trying,

"And I am melting away."

She was really losing it now, about ready to not be able to sing anymore, even.

"I wait for the words on the tip of your tongue.

"I'm only as good as the last one."

What was the use of being upset, anyway? He'd never care. He'd find the pieces of the Shikon no Tama better with Kikyo anyhow, and he'd fulfill his dream to become a full demon or a full human, one of the two, and he'd kive with Kagome's previous incarnate.

"You decide and I abide as my song goes unsung.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah—" Her voice broke.

She slammed her fists against the piano keys and sobbed violently. "This is too infuriating!" she shouted, slamming her fists again and again. The music of before was replaced with loud, annoying banging noises that almost left Kagome's sobs unnoticed…

…except to a certain someone sitting on the windowsill with his ears flattened against his head. "Come on, the music was so pretty before! Youch, that hurts my ears…"

Kagome stopped abruptly and jumped up. "I'm not coming back! You have Kikyo now!"

Inuyasha jumped down onto the floor of the room with the piano. "Wait a minute—this is about Kikyo!" he snapped. "What, did ya not wanna see her or something?" Kagome folded her arms across her chest, refusing to even look at him. "Kagome! Hey! Answer me already!"

Kagome didn't reply. She just stood there, stationary, staring blankly ahead at the wall, focusing on nothing. Inuyasha sighed. "Kagome…"

"Leave. Me. Alone."

He threw his arms up into the air. "Fine!—you know what!—fine! I'll leave you here forever and never think about you again!" He turned away from her, too, biting his lip to keep the words from flowing out. He wanted to fall down on his knees and beg forgiveness—though he didn't know quite why she was angry yet—and beg her to come back. And he would, too—he blinked and shook his head, growling slightly. Where did that thought come from!

Oh, come on, how much would it hurt…? Who was he fooling, anyway? Maybe Kagome, but certainly not himself.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, looking down at the ground.

Kagome looked up. Her ears had to be playing tricks on her. He hadn't—he couldn't have—wait, had he just said— "W-what did you just say?" she asked shakily.

Louder this time, he repeated, "I said I was sorry! Don't make me say it again, please!" This might deal a serious blow to his pride, but it would never amount up to the emotional pain he was in. He couldn't stand letting her go. "Please," he said, trying to control the tremor in his voice. "You don't have to come back, but please, Kagome, can't you at least forgive me?"

She hesitated. He'd probably never asked a woman's forgiveness for anything. "What do you need my forgiveness for?" she said finally. "You have Kikyo. You said yourself that I'm just a clumsy fool and that I'm good for nothing. Then I saw you two in—in the clearing, and—"

Inuyasha stared at her, his golden-yellow eyes shining with tears. "You're jealous." She didn't answer. Inuyasha sighed. "Kikyo and I weren't kissing, you know," he said slowly. Kagome looked up at him. "We were hugging."

"You didn't hug her just to snatch a jewel off of her neck, did you?"

"Shimatta, Kagome, stop it and listen to me just for a minute, please!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and held her so she was looking directly into his eyes. She tried to turn her head but couldn't. "We were hugging because she was leaving. Forever."

Kagome's gray eyes widened. "What?"

Inuyasha's grip loosened as she stopped struggling. "She's leaving, and I was trying to find you to tell you…to tell you…" He bit his lip again, looking away. "To tell you something important, but Shippo said you'd ran off to the well and you looked really upset. When I came here, I heard you singing and…" He pulled her against his chest. "I'm so, so sorry…I never meant to hurt you like this, Kagome…"

Her face was pressed into his shoulder, but he could still here her voice as she whispered, "Then why did you? And why are you trying to make up for it?"

"I…I hurt you because I was confused, and…I'm trying to make up for it…because I love you." The three hardest words he'd ever have to say, finally out of his mouth.

Now the hardest thing he'd ever have to hear. That she didn't feel the same way. That she hated him, and she wanted him out of her life forever. He sighed. He wouldn't be able to stand that…but it was too late now. "I'll be off," he whispered, releasing her from his strong embrace and getting ready to jump out the window again.

"I-Inuyasha, wait!" she called out suddenly. He scarcely had time to look up before she pressed her lips against his. His eyes were still wide-open in shock when she released him as well. "I forgive you, and I love you, too."