Far Away
Over. It was finally over. Naraku was finally gone, for real this time. So many emotions were going through them all at once while looking to the place where Naraku once stood only moments before. Happiness, sadness, and relief were the main emotions which were circulating in the air. Relief, because Naraku was no longer a threat. happiness, because it was finally over. And sadness. Sadness, because their journey had come to an end, meaning that Kagome's presence with them had come to an end as well. She was to leave soon, they all knew it. Kagome had realized it a long time ago, and was upset. But wasn't visibly showing it. She was a pro at hiding her emotions.
"It-its over." Inuyasha stated. He was covered in blood.They all were really. But not half as badly as he. They got beat up pretty badly, but nothing too serious. At the moment, Shippo was out cold. He had gotten hit in the head when the battle was going on, but he was going to be ok with some rest. Sango was cut up a little, but other than that just tired. Miroku was the same way. Kagome had a gash in her upper left arm, other than that, just a couple of cuts here and there. Inuyasha had several gashes to his arms and chest, he probably suffered the most. He was the main target, most of the time. Other times during the battle it was Kagome.
"It's so hard to believe." Sango said breathless, putting her body weight on her hirikotsu for support.
"Lets find out if it's true or not. Shall we?" Miroku said holding his hand out in front of him as he took off the beads around his wrist and uncovered his wind-tunnel which was no longer there.
"It's...it's gone." Miroku said slumping to the ground with a single tear of relief and happiness sliding down his cheek.
Kagome walked to where Naraku once stood and bent down to pick up the nearly completed sacred jewel. It became purified the instant she touched it. She added them to the rest of the jewel shards they had collected over the years and then walked over to where she had placedShippo had been when
"All we need now are the ones from Koga, and Kohaku.:" Kagome stated.
"Lets get a place set up so that we can rest for the rest of today." Inu said
"Alright, lets go you guys." Kagome said and they all set off sluggishly to find themselves a place to stay the night. They found a spot in the forest and slowly but surely got set up for camp.
It had been afew hours since they had settled down andShippo was still out cold, but Kagome had dressed his few wounds inflicted on him during their battle with Naraku, and he was now sleeping soundly, not likely to wake up anytime soon.
"I'm gonna go get some firewood." Inuyasha stated bluntly to the group of companions.
"Alright." Kagome said looking at him from her place on the ground with Shippo. With that, Inuyasha walked into the forest. He needed to think about things.
'Whats gonna happen now?' He thought silently to himself. 'Naraku's dead, now what? What about the jewel? Kagome? She'll leave soon. I don't think I'll be able to stand it when she leaves. It'd be so much easier if I wasn't in love with the damn girl.' He thought as he gathered unneeded firewood. They had had plenty, he just needed an excuse to get away and think for a while.
He got back to camp about fifteen minutes after his 'escape' with an armfull of firewood and placed it with the already big enough pile of wood. When he put the firewood down and took a look at his surroundings, he found (shockingly)Sango snuggled into Miroku, whom was also asleep, and for once was looking innocent. They were from his view, propped up against a tree. He found that Kagome too was asleep ontop of her sleeping bag. Shippo, for once was asleep in his own sleeping bag. Kagome had one arm on the hard ground above her head, and the other across her stomach, her head was tilted to the side.
The thought of never seeing her again crushed him on the inside. He walked over to where she was sleeping and grabbed a blanket from her time that was lying around. He draped it lightly over her small frame before lightly tracing her jawline with an unseen look of love in his deep orbs of amber. With that small satisfaction, he jumped into a nearby tree and he himself slipped into a light sleep. His dreams consisted of a miko from the future, who stayed by his side forever.
Morning came and all were awake to eat, finally. They hadn't eaten since the day theystarted the battle with Naraku. And that was three days ago. The battle lasted for a day and a half and all were not too far from starved.
"So, Lady Kagome,will you be leaving us soon?" Miroku asked while they were all eating breakfast around their small fire.
"I suppose." She answered with sadness etched in her voice. She had known for some time now that she would have to leave once the jewel was complete once again. But she hadn't thought it would be as soon as it was. "But not before we find the last three shards. Koga might be kind of difficult. But I'm not sure about Kohaku." Kagome said.
"I wonder what happened to him?" Sango asked mostly to herself. "I hope he's alright."She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Don't worry Sango, we'll find him." Miroku said to the troubled girl reasuringly.
"Thanks Miroku." She smiled sadly to him.
He then smiled genuinely at her. "Anytime."
"We should go. The jewel shards won' t find themselves." Inuyasha said getting up. He wasn't enjoying all of this talk of Kagome leaving. But he was relieved that she wouldn't be leaving just yet.
While on their way back to the village, Kagome too was thinking about many things while trying to keep her hold on Inuyasha's shoulders. 'In a couple of days I won' t be here anymore. I want to stay here, but I'm no longer needed. Inuyasha won't need me after I find the last three shards. I'll miss him so much. I don' t think I can do it. No, I have to. I don' t belong here, in this era. I wasn't even supposed to be here in the begginning.' She sighed to herself. 'I have gotten so close to him. He is one of my best friends. Out of everyone, I'll miss him the most.
Inuyasha heard her sigh and wondered. 'What is she thinking about?' Little did he know that it was him. It always was him.
"I wish Kagome didn't have to go." Sango said to Miroku who was riding Kirara with her and Shippo.
"I know, I think she wishes that as well, but thinks she doesn't belong in this era." Miroku explained his theory to her. He was unknowingly right on the money.They soon arrived at the village, happy to be home.
"Ye have made it back safely I see." Keaded said to the approaching group.
"Yes, Naraku is no more." Kagome said to the old priestess.
"That is wonderful news Kagome. We must have a feast to celebrate ye's victory." Keade said to the miko from the future.
"Thank you Keade." Kagome said.
"We shall celebrate this night." Keade said.
"Do you need any help preparing for the feast?" Kagome asked her.
"No child, ye's assistance shall not be needed. Ye have done enough for now. Just relax for the day."
"Thank you again Keade" Kagome said bowing slightly.
"Ye are very welcome child." Keade said to her.
"Kagome?" Sango asked Kagomefrom behind her. Kagome turned around and faced her. "doyou want to-?"
"I'm way ahead of you." Kagome said and made her way to the hotspring with Sango right on her heals. Once they arrived at the spring, they stripped of theirclothing and got into the steamed water.
"So Sango, whats going to happen to you once the jewel is finished?" Kagome asked her.
"I don't really know. I suppose I'll hang around here for a while. Maybe get a place of my own here." She answered.
"What about Shippo and Miroku?...and Inuyasha?" She added quietly.
"I don' t know about Inuyasha, but I'll watch after Shippo for you." Sango offered.
"Are you sure? He can be a handful when he wants to." Kagome added.
"Yes, I don' t mind." Sango laughed."Miroku was telling me that he was planning on staying here as well. This village has become like a second home." She added. "But as for Inuyasha, your guess is as good as mine."
Kagome had been stressing about this topic for a long time now. What would happen once the jewel was finished.? Would Inuyasha become the full yukai he had always wanted to be?
Sango had looked at Kagome after she had said that and regretted it. Her face went from sad to worried when she saw the look on Kagome's face.
"What's on your mind Kagome?" She asked her. Kagome hesitated.
"I guess I'm just scared of whats gonna happen." She said.
Somewhere in the bushes while this conversation was still going on
For the first time ever, Inuyasha was hiding in the bushes while the girls were bathing. He figured it may be the last time he got to see her at the spring. So he followed them. But he hadn't actually planned to listen to their conversation.
"Whats on your mind Kagome?" He heard Sango ask.
"I guess I'm just scared for whats gonna happen." He heard her reply.
'huh?' That sparked his interest in their conversation.
"I just, I'm afraid of what will happen next after I leave. Like when I give Inuyasha the jewel. What if he becomes a full demon like he had intended to? I can't be the one responsible for him to suffer like that." Kagome said.
"Suffer? How so?" Sango asked her.
"Everytime I look in his eyes when his demon side overpowers him, it looks like he is suffering. Like he doesn't have control of what he will do. I don't know, I just, I don't wantto be the cause of that. But if that's what it has to be like for him to be happy, then I will leave" It was then that Inuyasha stood up and began to walk towards the camp, not hearing any more of the conversation. Too bad though, he would have heard something he had been wanting to hear for a long time. "it up to him." (that was the end of the conversation from before Inu left. Just filling you all in in case I confused u. N/E way. on with the story.)
"You love him, don't you Kagome?" Sango asked her with a look of pity for her friend on her face. Kagome was utterly shocked.
"H-How did you-?" She tried to ask.
"The way you look at him when he's not looking at you, or how heartbroken you are when he goes looking for Kikyo." Sango answered solemnly and sadly. She knew her friend was in inner tourmoil, and it pained her to know that she couldn't do anything to make it better for her like she wanted to. She felt pain in her heart that she couldn't help her and it made her sick to her stomach when she would see Kagome put on her fake smile and pretend to be happy when she knew that it was the complete opposite from how her friend, her best friend really felt on the inside.
"Am I that obvious?" Kagome asked with a slight pink tinting her cheeks from her secret being uncovered.
"I'm afraid so. Well, not to Inuyasha though, I don' t think." Sango said to the flustered and pink girl.
"Well, thats a relief. Who knows what he would do if he knew?" Kagome said with a sigh of relief. "But there are times I wish he did know."
"Are you going to tell him?" Sango asked her.
"Whats the point? I'm not going to be here for his reaction anyway." She answered with a small sigh.
"I really think you should. It'll make you feel a whole lot better if you do." Sango said as she climbed out of the hotspring to let her 'words of wisdom' sink in.
'She's right, I need to tell him. If I don't I'll always ask myself 'what if'.' She thought as she too climbed out of the hotspring.
Inuyasha had gotten back to the village without anyone noticing.
'Should I tell her? No, it would just make things harder on her. Besides, she deserves better than me.' He thought to himself grimly. 'Thats my decision.I won' t tell her.'
Well, thats chapter 1 of Far away. I was planning on making this a really really long one-shot songfic. But I figured that would take WAY too long,so I'm divvying it up into chapters. Hope you like it. You all know the drill. Read and Review. No flames please. Hope you liked it. I'll have the next chapter up in a jiffy. toodles. heart Jessica. AKA WingedPrincess15