Burned

Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape or form, own Inuyasha or the characters in the anime or manga. Although the hopeless story line is mine.

WARNING: this is labeled tragedy for a reason. Someone will die and you will probably cry.

It was a sunny day with fare weather and the birds were singing. The earth practically breathed peace and happiness. I was so happy as I gazed at my soon to be bride as we walked hand in hand through my forest to the place we first met, the Tree of Ages. She leans against me as we stand beneath its shade, I revel in her heavenly scent, which was stronger than usual. 'She is in heat' I thought with a smile, knowing that by two days from now we would be wed and mated and she would be carrying my pup. At that thought I nuzzled her neck, "I can't wait for tomorrow night because you will be mine and we will be together forever." All she did was giggle, oh how I love her, and said 'me too'. I slung my arm around her waist and held her close to me as we walked back to the village. It would be the last night that we slept in separate quarters and the last night we would ever be apart again. My heart warmed as I thought of all the time we would have together and the family we would make. It was peaceful without having to hunt down the jewel, which was no longer here, or Naraku, who was killed. I never knew how much I missed these peaceful days, actually before Kagome came along I never really had a peaceful day in my life, and let me tell you over 200 years of never having a peaceful day was fuckin' annoying. Yet here I am, with the woman I love ready to spend an eternity together. Over 200 years alone had seemed like nothing compared to the three years I had to wait for her return. Those years were torture, I went to the well every day for the first six months after she had disappeared, then every three days after that. I was beginning to lose hope of ever seeing my beloved again until I had caught her scent in the air. I didn't even second guess myself, I knew it was her, it had to be her. When I reached the well I extended my hand into its depths and another hand grasped mine. It was Kagome, my Kagome. That was one of my happiest memories. I had proclaimed that I loved her and would never let me go and she said the same. Now it was three weeks, almost a month, ago that she had come back. I was so happy that she would be forever mine, a half demon's. I told her that she would get ridiculed, but she didn't care what others were going to say, she only cared about me and my feelings. Oh, how I loved this woman.

We stopped by the Sacred Tree, the where we first met, and sat beneath its branches. We talked and cuddled as we had in the past month. At some point I claimed her sweet lips with my own, what had been sweet had turned passionate and fiery. Yet she stopped me and stared at me with a flushed face as she said "I want to be yours completely, body, heart and soul. I want to belong to you in every sense of the word as a mate, wife and woman." I smiled at her proclamation, even though she wanted to wait till tomorrow night, I was filled with joy at the thought of her becoming mine, no one else could take her away from me. Not now not ever. But I was wrong, and the universe would prove that.

It was quiet the night before the ceremony and everyone was in high spirits. The whole village radiated happiness at the fact that their heroes were going to be wedded. It was well past sunset and the moon shone high in the night. The women had gone to a separate hut away from the men because it was the night before the marriage ceremony. After about an hour the whole village was sound asleep, even the half demon was snoring lightly in his hut with his best friend and monk asleep next to him. The young miko was asleep as well with her best friend the Taijiya and her companion the small neko youkai. All was calm and no one could have predicted what would happen next, nor could they stop it. When the moon was close to the horizon and the sun was just starting to cast its red glow upon the earth It attacked. It was a youkai that seemed to be a cross between a dog and a lion with a mace for a tail. Its fur was aflame and its tail swished back and forth with deadly spikes the length and width of a katana blade. Venomous foam seeped from its large mouth as it descended upon the sleeping village. It was at least ten feet tall and was of a burly build, and it was rabid. All the youkai could think of was destruction and blood. It craved it to no end. It had destroyed village after village devouring or slaughtering all of their inhabitants. Yet it wanted more. 'More, more, more' was all it could think of as it trudged past a large tree with a scar towards the smell of living flesh. As it arrived to the unsuspecting village it set everything ablaze to a fiery inferno. People were running from it on fire only to be pierced by the spikes flying from its tail. Then it felt the pain of purification and turned its attention to the source. It was a young woman, no more than 19, with raven black hair and a bow in her hand with another arrow notched. It attacked.

I ran from the hut to see what had happened only to see a large, deformed, blazing youkai rampaging through the village. It was at the other side of the village, the side where Kagome was, and I was here, far away from the fight. I watched through the inferno that was the village as my Kagome ran from the hut with bow and arrows in hand as Sango and Kirara helped the villagers to safety. I knew she was in danger, I could sense it, feel it. So I ran. I ran to her to protect her from the youkai now staring at her as she notched her arrow. It all happened so fast, she released the arrow and I my wind scar. The creature was no more than dust after our attack. I smirked at our win, but then I caught it. The scent of blood, Kagome's blood. I turned around and saw that one of the spikes was lodged in the space between her chest and stomach. It had gone straight through until it was sticking out from her back. I couldn't think as she collapsed barely breathing. I don't remember moving to cradle her or taking the spike from her chest, but I remember her face. It was pale and her skin was getting cold as her blood flowed from her body soaking my clothes. Yet her eyes held love and forgiveness, forgiveness for not being able to protect her, to get the chance to fully love her, to keep her always and forever. Then she spoke from those now pale lips, "I want you to live, Inuyasha" she gasped as red blood flowed from her lips and then continued, "Live, because I love you. Now and always." Her eyes were growing dim and far away, "Promise me." She said it like a command instead of a request as I held her dying in my arms. I knew I would lose her as I felt her blood slowly drip from my hands that were trying to make the bleeding stop. Yet I knew, I knew it wouldn't stop. She was dying in my arms, but I couldn't do anything, but make a promise. I looked down at her, memorizing every detail of her pale flawless face. I had tears in my eyes as I clung to my beloved refusing to let go, I kissed her one last time, "I promise, and I love you forever, Kagome." I finished as I heard her heart stop and she took one last gasp of breath. She was gone, my Kagome was gone, and I was here. Alone.

I woke with a start, sweat was making the sheets cling to me like a second skin. Every time I fell asleep I would have that dream. That same dream for over five hundred years. I sat and ran my fingers through my white hair and looked at my room. The same beige walls and paintings from different ages in history. My bed was covered in red silk sheets that felt good against my skin. I glanced over to see if she was there, but I knew she wouldn't be. After all, she was dead. I had gone to my brother that day to ask, no beg him to bring her back. He looked at my with a sympathetic face that I had never seen and told me that he could not because 'she had not belonged in this time'. It was a long time ago, but the memory was fresh and painful. I looked at my digital clock and it read 4:35 a.m. 2/14/2073. It was ironic, she had died on Valentine's Day, the day for lovers to come together. It was supposed to be our wedding anniversary, not one of her death. I got out of bed and took a shower trying to wash away my sorrow, but knowing that it would do nothing. After I had gotten dressed and ready the clock read 5:16 a.m. I ate ramen and grabbed the bouquet of baby's breath and daisies. She always loved those flowers when she was alive. I walked out the door into the pouring rain. The weather was good to cover my tears as I walked to my destination. I walked down the rows of soft ground that were lined with stone. I stopped and stood in the rain facing an old slab of granite. I had placed the flowers in front of the stone, "I will always love you and never forget you, Kagome." After all it was burned into my memory and my soul. The one who truly pierced my heart.

Kagome Higurashi

August 17, 1474- Feb 14, 1494

Beloved by all

Forever loved.

A/N: I cried while writing this. If you didn't, review and tell me why. If anyone has suggestions on how to make this better (grammar and detail wise) let me know. Oh, and the 'happy' ending is in another work called 'Burned: Continuation'. So if you want a happy moment after I have made you depressed read that or a fluffy work. Thanks! R&R!