Okee-dokee! It's a short one, but I came up with the idea earlier today! I hope you enjoy. It's a little angsty, I know, but I was feeling quite angsty myself and was wondering… why did Kagome put up with all this crap with Kikyo? So, here you go! ENJOY! AND DON'T FORGET TO RATE IT AFTER! (=^._.^=)

Rain poured down in sheets, blinding the small brown eyed girl as she squinted from her curled position on the ground. Her hand was desperately staunching a flowing wound from her stomach. Her lips were formed into a permanent grimace of pain and horror. Several feet away stood a woman that looked to be her exact copy. She was holding a bow that had released the arrow that had wounded the girl. Both heard movement not far off. The woman immediately pulled an arrow from behind her back and thrust it into her side, then withdrew it, dropping to her knees. The young girl only stared.

"Kikyo!"

Kagome jerked her head upwards towards the inu-hanyou that had newly emerged from behind the cover of the forest. He ran to Kikyo's side and held her as she forced a shudder.

"InuYasha, she… shot me." She murmured, looking with wide eyes at Kagome, her reincarnated miko. InuYasha turned to her in shock. Kagome couldn't believe it.

Did he really believe Kikyo, that Kagome would do such a thing?

"InuYasha, no!" NO! "I heard her, came to tell her you were on your way. She threatened them! Everyone we love! She… hit her target." Kagome tried to tell him. InuYasha only stared. He stood as if he were going to make his way to her, but drew Tessaiga from his sheathe.

"How could you?"

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried and attempted to stand when she collapsed again. InuYasha immediately noticed the enormous amount of blood erupting from her wound. Confusion lit his expression. Kagome's wound looked more like an arrow wound than Kikyo's did.

Still with Tessaiga in his hand, he started to walk towards Kagome.

Kikyo gasped out into the silence, for good measure. InuYasha immediately turned away from the mortally wounded reincarnation.

"Who's more important, InuYasha? The copy, or the real thing?" Kikyo asked. InuYasha hesitated before drawing Kikyo into a hug. Kagome's eyes brimmed with tears and she struggled to her feet. InuYasha immediately pushed Kikyo away and attempted to go after Kagome as she stumbled blindly through the trees, sobs racking her wounded body.

Kagome couldn't quite tell where she was. She could only hear the pounding rain and Kikyo's words ringing in her ears. InuYasha's face and actions had said it all. Though they both knew in a matter of seconds Kagome would be dying, he'd chosen Kikyo.

Her heart seemed to split in two as she ran into solid rock with a gasp. The collision caused her wound to open further. The blood flow seemed to increase tenfold and she slid down the granite wall towards the soaked grass. Her hands clutched at her shirt and stomach, attempting to ignore the pain.

InuYasha…. I…. still…. love you.

-v-

Kagome woke with a jerk, sweat beading her brow. Her eyes darted to and fro, taking in her surroundings. She was shivering as she reached with a trembling hand to test the blood soaked bandages around her middle. She released a sob as she remembered that her InuYasha had left her to die. Kagome winced as she slowly stood. Sango stood quickly in the corner of Kaede's hut.

"Kagome!" she cried and went to her, throwing her arms around Kagome.

"Ouch," Kagome breathed and Sango immediately released her.

"Right, sorry about that. How are you feeling? You scared the death out of us." She said with a worried tone that revealed her fear at the thought of losing her best friend, who was like her own younger sister.

"I'm almost fine now," Kagome whispered.

"Almost?" Sango asked with a fearful gaze. Kagome's eyes brimmed with more tears as Sango supported her.

"He left me to die. InuYasha… left me to die." She whispered, her voice barely heard. Sango stiffened.

"No! That can't be! He lo-"

"Love's Kikyo," Kagome finished quietly for Sango. With that, Kagome walked out of the hut and didn't stop. She just kept going. She realized she was also limping. She must have twisted her ankle when she ran into the rock where she had fallen unconscious. She shivered and kept walking, as the sun fell, revealing a curtain of stars.

When Kagome finally reached the goshinboku, she slid down the bark and collapsed among the large roots. She curled into a ball and rocked back and forth. Dry gasps racked her body, as she had no more tears left to cry.

How could you….

Who is more important…..

Copy or the real thing…

NO…..

InuYasha…..

Still….

Love….

You….

Kagome couldn't stop shaking. She didn't notice the shadow watching from a distance. He felt like an empty shell as he watched her. She was in pain and he knew it. He'd watched her run from him with the wound still flowing freely. He could smell her blood on her bandages. He knew the wound had just opened slightly as she fell onto the goshinboku. InuYasha slowly walked towards her and knelt before her. He gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek and she opened her eyes. Fear seemed to take over and it broke InuYasha's soul to see her fear of him.

"Kagome…" he managed to choke out. She shook her head vigorously.

"You left me to die," she whispered, fresh tears forming.

"Never," he said, shaking his head violently.

"You did!" she yelled, causing him to jump back. She struggled to her feet, denying InuYasha's help. "You chose her after she… she killed me! You watched me bleed to death while she just stood there! You let her go! She wanted to kill them! All of them! She threatened Shippo! My Shippo! Our Shippo! She threatened Miroku, and even Sango! She wants us dead InuYasha!" she screamed, falling to her knees. InuYasha stood frozen.

"No," he croaked. "Never, she would never," he started to say.

"She would never deliver the final blow. She would never tear us apart. She would never destroy our loved ones or the bond that we share. Say it! Say how much you believe in her, even when you shouldn't! InuYasha, it's killing me, literally! I nearly died!" she yelled, anger starting to radiate through her sorrow. InuYasha stepped forward but stopped. Kagome clearly wasn't finished.

"You listened to her lies when I was obviously dying in front of you! You broke our promise! You didn't protect me!"

InuYasha visibly winced at that one. He had promised to protect her, forever.

"You went to her, when she asked if a…" Kagome couldn't bring herself to finish her words. InuYasha did it for her.

"When she asked if a copy was more important than the real thing?" he murmured. Kagome nodded mutely. InuYasha shook his head.

"I told her the real thing was more important."

Then Kagome fell again, completely collapsing on the ground.

"KAGOME!"

-v-

InuYasha stayed by her side this time, clutching Kagome's hand as Kaede retreated her wound.

"InuYasha, this is a nasty wound. Kikyo really hit her mark this time." Kaede said with a sorrowful gaze at the young miko that the old woman considered as her granddaughter. InuYasha nodded.

"I know," he said quietly.

"This was her goal from the beginning," Kaede said. She looked to InuYasha. "She wanted to separate you, turn you against her. She wanted them out of the picture, so that she could meet you in hell." She whispered. It killed Kaede that her own sister would do such a thing. InuYasha nodded.

"Which is why I killed her."

Kaede met his teary eyed gaze.

"I killed her, Kaede." He whimpered. Kaede sighed.

"She nearly killed our Kagome. You had already told me you would kill anyone who hurt your love." She comforted him. InuYasha squeezed Kagome's hand. Kaede stood and left.

"You are the real thing. I still love you, too. I found you, I brought you back after I sent her to hell. I told her that you were my life. I told her she'd killed me when she fired that arrow. Kagome, I… you can't leave me…" he moaned, dropping his head to the nape of her neck. InuYasha licked her shoulder and gently bit down, marking the unconscious girl.

Kami, help me bring her back. Please, let this work….

Kagome shifted and InuYasha's head shot up.

"Kagome?" he asked quietly. She opened her eyes slowly.

"I'm not going anywhere… mate." She whispered. InuYasha grinned and pulled her into an embrace.

Then they kissed.