And So It Goes
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this crummy fic. So don't sue, 'cause all I have is 27 cents in my coat pocket, and I don't even have *that* with me. And, even though I wish I did, I don't own the King's Singers, *or* their repro of 'And So It Goes'.
Kagome watched helplessly as Inu Yasha confronted Kikyou, oblivious to her. He was murmuring words to her, and sometimes she nodded, others she shook her head. Suddenly, much to Kagome's surprise, Kikyou wrapped her arms around Inu Yasha's neck and kissed him soundly, then turned her gaze to Kagome and smirked. Kagome gasped. Kikyou knew she was there! And when Inu Yasha didn't push Kikyou away, Kagome ran.
~In every heart, there is a room~
She ran until she couldn't keep going, and then ran some more. Her legs were screaming at her to stop. She fell over a hidden tree root. She was in the forest, she realized. His forest. Inu Yasha's. How'd she end up here? /I wanted to go to the well!/ her mind screamed in protest. One voice told her to let herself die right here. However, another, more strong voice insisted that she kept going until she hit the well, safe and sound in her own time.
~A sanctuary safe and strong~
"This is it, Kikyou. This is goodbye. Forever." Kikyou tried to say something, but Inu Yasha hushed her. "No!. It's final.. I can't love Kagome if you're chasing me!" Kikyou saw Kagome and had a brilliant idea. She grabbed Inu Yasha and kissed him, looking straight at Kagome. Inu Yasha was too stunned to pull away. When he finally did, Kikyou was grinning like mad. "What are you smiling about?" But even as he said this, Inu Yasha caught Kagome's scent, his hearing her rapidly fading footsteps. "Kagome.. KAGOME!!" His scream of rage shook the trees. "This is over, Kikyou," he growled, relishing in the surprised look on her face as he plunged his clawed hand through her breast and out the other side. Kikyou screamed, crumbling to dust.
~To heal the wounds from lovers past~
Kagome cringed as Inu Yasha's voice raged through the forest. "KAGOME!!" He sounded mad... Really mad. Kagome panicked and ran faster, if it was possible. The wind pushed her hair back as she crashed through the trees. /I'm probably leaving an easy trail for him to follow me by,/ she realized belatedly. It was too late, now. Shades of green blurred past her eyes, branches she couldn't even see slashed her face, arms and legs. She had lost a shoe somewhere a while back, and the sock on that foot had been ripped off. Her foot was bleeding badly. She could also feel blood dripping between her eyes. Suddenly, she came to a hill, and, going too fast to stop herself, tumbled over the edge, hitting rocks and boulders on the way down the steep side.
~Until a new one comes along~
Kagome sighed in relief as the ground leveled out, but screamed when she felt herself go over the edge of a cliff. She reached out a hand and grabbed the edge, feeling her fingers rip open and bleed from the rough rock. /This cliff. is the cliff overlooking the river!/ She shuddered, picturing the jagged points of rocks down below. /I don't want to die!/ "I change my mind!"
~I spoke to you in cautious tones~
Inu Yasha followed Kagome's scent, getting nearer all the while. It had started out an angry scent, followed by regret, then immense fear. And there it peaked and stayed. Inu Yasha soon found out why as he pushed through the trees to see Kagome's fingers slipping off the bloodied precipice of the cliff. "I change my MIND!" she screamed out.
~You answered me with no pretense~
Kagome closed her eyes and tried not to let the tears that threatened to fall escape. It wasn't working. This was it. This was the end. She didn't want it to end this way, didn't want to die. Not now. There were so many things she had to do yet: to collect Shikon shards, to.. She sighed inwardly. She wanted to. say so many things to Inu Yasha, and.. /Gods, I can't even think it. Alright!/ She wanted to tell Inu Yasha. that she loved him. Ever since that fateful day she had grabbed his cute puppy ears. She almost laughed at the thought. "Inu Yasha.." She whispered, then lost her grip on reality, both figuratively and literally, blissfully falling into unconsciousness before her fingers let go to allow her to drop to her death.
~And still I feel I said too much~
Inu Yasha gasped inaudibly as he heard Kagome whisper his name. His name! He rushed forward and grabbed her hand just as she lost her grip on the rough, slippery rock. "Kagome.."
~My silence is my self-defense~
Kagome woke to a blinding light. All white, all around. /Is this Heaven?/ she wondered. She sat up, or at least tried to. /Damn, it doesn't feel like I'm dead./ She groaned, working her way to a sitting position.. And found herself face-to-face with a pair of amber-coloured eyes.
~And every time I've held a rose~
"Kagome.." Inu Yasha tried. Kagome shuddered and looked away. Her scent was pure and utter pain, sadness, and devastation. "Kagome.."
~It seems I've only felt the thorns~
"Why don't you go back to that dirt bag Kikyou?"
Inu Yasha was shocked. Kagome's scent had changed quickly to unadulterated anger. "I'm just your shard-detector, right? I mean, that's what you always say. I should just leave, and you can replace me with your precious Kikyou. In fact, I think that's what I'll do." With that said, Kagome rose to walk towards her over-large backpack, but still being incapacitated from her wounds, she stumbled and fell on the way. She shut her eyes and held her hands out for the fall, but it never came. Instead, a pair of warm, strong arms caught her around the waist. "Inu Yasha.."
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
"Kagome. I. I don't love Kikyou.. Please, you have to believe me! I.." Inu Yasha looked down at his hands. "I. I killed her. myself." Kagome gasped, and was shocked to see tears running silently down Inu Yasha's face. "I tried to tell her. but she. she wouldn't listen, so I destroyed her. She's nothing more to me than. the pile of dust she has become." Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. /Is this for real?/ "Inu-" "No, I have to get this out before you leave me.. I. I love you, Kagome, and I don't want you to leave!" He flung himself into her arms, sobbing and shaking like a little child. "I don't want you to go! Not. not like all the rest. Everyone I've ever loved has gone.. I have no one left." He turned his head down, his bangs hiding his expressions, but clearly ashamed. "You can leave now.. I'm sorry." He turned to leave.
~And so will you soon I suppose~
Kagome flung out a hand, catching his in hers. "Wait! Inu Yasha.." Inu Yasha turned back, hope shining in his eyes. The two stood like this for several minutes. With each passing moment, however, the light in Inu Yasha's eyes grew dimmer, until there was not even a glimmer.
~But if my silence made you leave~
Inu Yasha started to leave once more. Kagome had to do something. anything to keep Inu Yasha from leaving. "Inu Yasha. I love you!" she cried. Dead silence filled the room. "Inu Yasha.. I love you." Kagome whispered, breaking the deafening silence.
~Then that would be my worst mistake~
"You. you do?!" Inu Yasha's voice was quiet and disbelieving. "You can't.. You're just kidding, aren't you?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You could never love me.. Not after all I've done." Kagome shook her head. She had to make him believe! /But. I don't know how../ She stumbled closer to him on unsteady legs, still smarting from yesterday's wounds. With a start, she realized he was still crying. or had started again. "Inu Yasha. don't cry, not over me." She reached up and gently brushed away some of the tears with her thumb. "It's true.. It hurt me to see you with Kikyou."
~So I will share this room with you~
Inu Yasha sighed, leaning into her embrace. "You're serious. you're not kidding?" Kagome smiled. "I'm definitely serious," she replied, reaching farther up to scratch his puppy ears. Inu Yasha resisted the urge to purr in pure delight. "You're serious. you really do love me." Inu Yasha closed his eyes, and whispered so Kagome couldn't hear, "Let's hope you stay alive long enough to show me."
~And you can have this heart to break~
Kagome woke to a pair of loving arms around her waist, She smiled lovingly. "Inu Yasha," she whispered, stroking his twitching ear, "Inu Yasha, it's dawn. It's time to get up."
~And this is why my eyes are closed~
Kagome closed her eyes and shuddered. She couldn't bear to watch the demons and youkai fall prey to Inu Yasha's Tetsusaiga. It was too horrific.
~It's just as well for all I've seen~
Inu Yasha sniffed the air. Something wasn't right. These demons were going down too fast. Was this the real attack point? "Kagome, search them! Do any of them carry jewel shards?" Kagome hesitated, feeling out with her mind, then shook her head. "No, Inu Yasha, they don't. What's going on?!" "I don't know! Something's seriously wrong here!"
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
Inu Yasha, finishing off the demons, said, "Kagome, Miroku, Kaede-baba, can any of you sense any evil around here? At least point me in the direction!" he finished with a growl. Kaede nodded, "That way," and pointed east. "Do ye not feel it also?" she asked Miroku and Kagome. Both nodded. "I sense. Naraku."
~So I will share this room with you~
Kagome sighed as she trekked beside Inu Yasha through the woods. His woods. This brought back unpleasant and unwanted memories, but she knew they didn't mean anything anymore. She pushed them away, but another came to surface. "Inu Yasha," she started, grabbing his hand, mindful of his claws. "Inu Yasha, I don't want you to fight. I have this feeling someone's going to be hurt, and I don't want It to be you." Inu Yasha shrugged uncomfortably. "No one's gonna get hurt. Especially not me. You should know that by now!" Kagome shook her head "I know you're powerful, Inu Yasha, but what of this Naraku? Koi, I don't want you getting hurt." Inu Yasha blushed at the title Kagome gave him. "No, Kagome, we, all of us, have to defeat Naraku, and you can't do it without me, and I without you."
~That's if the choice were mine to make~
Kagome watched, transfixed by the battle splaying before her. She struggled inside. There was so much she wanted to help with, yet she couldn't help at all. /Yeah, I could shoot arrows, but I only have so many! And what if I hit Sango or Miroku? Or. Inu Yasha?/ The latter was in pretty bad shape, trying to protect the other two from danger. Kagome was pretty far from the fray.
~But you can make decisions too~
Inu Yasha kept stealing glances at Kagome to make sure she was alright. This was it. Naraku's minions gone, there was nothing standing in the way between him and Inu Yasha. "You're mine, Naraku!" Inu Yasha yelled and lunged at Naraku. Eventually, Inu Yasha had his hard-won victory over Naraku. But, before dying, Naraku choked out, "You're destined to lose, one way or the other, Inu Yasha. Just as you lost Kikyou the first time, so shall you lose her again!" Even as Naraku died, he laughed. Inu Yasha didn't understand what he meant, until.. "Kagome!" He looked back, but Kagome seemed fine. He rushed towards her. "Kagome, what-" She wasn't answering. "Kagome, are you alright?" She had a blank look in her eyes, and when he touched her, she slumped over. "Kagome?" He hugged her, and felt a wetness on his hands from her back. He sniffed. Blood. Kagome's blood! He hadn't noticed it before. It was enough to drive him mad! "Kagome. no." he whispered disbelievingly. "No, this can't be.." He was found hugging Kagome's lifeless body by Miroku and Sango well later.
~And you can have this heart to break~
Inu Yasha was still shocked. Every time he thought of Kagome, he would start crying uncontrollably, and would fall into uncounted fits of depression from which he was irretrievable. Miroku, Sango, Kaede, they all tried, but they couldn't bring him out of it. He was too deeply lost, his love for Kagome too strong.
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
Inu Yasha lay at the front of Kagome's grave, sallow and pale-faced. He fingered the roses at the front. She had always loved roses. "Kagome.." He read the long-worn words on the face of the beautiful marble stone, worn from 50 years of age and outlasting love: "Our love was short and unknown, but it was strong all the same." There was nothing left for him to live for: The jewel was complete, and Kagome was gone. There was nothing left at all. Inu Yasha was doomed from the start. As he closed his eyes for the last time, he was reminded of a verse: "As for her, I'd lay me down and die."
~And you're the only one who knows~
~Owari~
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this crummy fic. So don't sue, 'cause all I have is 27 cents in my coat pocket, and I don't even have *that* with me. And, even though I wish I did, I don't own the King's Singers, *or* their repro of 'And So It Goes'.
Kagome watched helplessly as Inu Yasha confronted Kikyou, oblivious to her. He was murmuring words to her, and sometimes she nodded, others she shook her head. Suddenly, much to Kagome's surprise, Kikyou wrapped her arms around Inu Yasha's neck and kissed him soundly, then turned her gaze to Kagome and smirked. Kagome gasped. Kikyou knew she was there! And when Inu Yasha didn't push Kikyou away, Kagome ran.
~In every heart, there is a room~
She ran until she couldn't keep going, and then ran some more. Her legs were screaming at her to stop. She fell over a hidden tree root. She was in the forest, she realized. His forest. Inu Yasha's. How'd she end up here? /I wanted to go to the well!/ her mind screamed in protest. One voice told her to let herself die right here. However, another, more strong voice insisted that she kept going until she hit the well, safe and sound in her own time.
~A sanctuary safe and strong~
"This is it, Kikyou. This is goodbye. Forever." Kikyou tried to say something, but Inu Yasha hushed her. "No!. It's final.. I can't love Kagome if you're chasing me!" Kikyou saw Kagome and had a brilliant idea. She grabbed Inu Yasha and kissed him, looking straight at Kagome. Inu Yasha was too stunned to pull away. When he finally did, Kikyou was grinning like mad. "What are you smiling about?" But even as he said this, Inu Yasha caught Kagome's scent, his hearing her rapidly fading footsteps. "Kagome.. KAGOME!!" His scream of rage shook the trees. "This is over, Kikyou," he growled, relishing in the surprised look on her face as he plunged his clawed hand through her breast and out the other side. Kikyou screamed, crumbling to dust.
~To heal the wounds from lovers past~
Kagome cringed as Inu Yasha's voice raged through the forest. "KAGOME!!" He sounded mad... Really mad. Kagome panicked and ran faster, if it was possible. The wind pushed her hair back as she crashed through the trees. /I'm probably leaving an easy trail for him to follow me by,/ she realized belatedly. It was too late, now. Shades of green blurred past her eyes, branches she couldn't even see slashed her face, arms and legs. She had lost a shoe somewhere a while back, and the sock on that foot had been ripped off. Her foot was bleeding badly. She could also feel blood dripping between her eyes. Suddenly, she came to a hill, and, going too fast to stop herself, tumbled over the edge, hitting rocks and boulders on the way down the steep side.
~Until a new one comes along~
Kagome sighed in relief as the ground leveled out, but screamed when she felt herself go over the edge of a cliff. She reached out a hand and grabbed the edge, feeling her fingers rip open and bleed from the rough rock. /This cliff. is the cliff overlooking the river!/ She shuddered, picturing the jagged points of rocks down below. /I don't want to die!/ "I change my mind!"
~I spoke to you in cautious tones~
Inu Yasha followed Kagome's scent, getting nearer all the while. It had started out an angry scent, followed by regret, then immense fear. And there it peaked and stayed. Inu Yasha soon found out why as he pushed through the trees to see Kagome's fingers slipping off the bloodied precipice of the cliff. "I change my MIND!" she screamed out.
~You answered me with no pretense~
Kagome closed her eyes and tried not to let the tears that threatened to fall escape. It wasn't working. This was it. This was the end. She didn't want it to end this way, didn't want to die. Not now. There were so many things she had to do yet: to collect Shikon shards, to.. She sighed inwardly. She wanted to. say so many things to Inu Yasha, and.. /Gods, I can't even think it. Alright!/ She wanted to tell Inu Yasha. that she loved him. Ever since that fateful day she had grabbed his cute puppy ears. She almost laughed at the thought. "Inu Yasha.." She whispered, then lost her grip on reality, both figuratively and literally, blissfully falling into unconsciousness before her fingers let go to allow her to drop to her death.
~And still I feel I said too much~
Inu Yasha gasped inaudibly as he heard Kagome whisper his name. His name! He rushed forward and grabbed her hand just as she lost her grip on the rough, slippery rock. "Kagome.."
~My silence is my self-defense~
Kagome woke to a blinding light. All white, all around. /Is this Heaven?/ she wondered. She sat up, or at least tried to. /Damn, it doesn't feel like I'm dead./ She groaned, working her way to a sitting position.. And found herself face-to-face with a pair of amber-coloured eyes.
~And every time I've held a rose~
"Kagome.." Inu Yasha tried. Kagome shuddered and looked away. Her scent was pure and utter pain, sadness, and devastation. "Kagome.."
~It seems I've only felt the thorns~
"Why don't you go back to that dirt bag Kikyou?"
Inu Yasha was shocked. Kagome's scent had changed quickly to unadulterated anger. "I'm just your shard-detector, right? I mean, that's what you always say. I should just leave, and you can replace me with your precious Kikyou. In fact, I think that's what I'll do." With that said, Kagome rose to walk towards her over-large backpack, but still being incapacitated from her wounds, she stumbled and fell on the way. She shut her eyes and held her hands out for the fall, but it never came. Instead, a pair of warm, strong arms caught her around the waist. "Inu Yasha.."
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
"Kagome. I. I don't love Kikyou.. Please, you have to believe me! I.." Inu Yasha looked down at his hands. "I. I killed her. myself." Kagome gasped, and was shocked to see tears running silently down Inu Yasha's face. "I tried to tell her. but she. she wouldn't listen, so I destroyed her. She's nothing more to me than. the pile of dust she has become." Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. /Is this for real?/ "Inu-" "No, I have to get this out before you leave me.. I. I love you, Kagome, and I don't want you to leave!" He flung himself into her arms, sobbing and shaking like a little child. "I don't want you to go! Not. not like all the rest. Everyone I've ever loved has gone.. I have no one left." He turned his head down, his bangs hiding his expressions, but clearly ashamed. "You can leave now.. I'm sorry." He turned to leave.
~And so will you soon I suppose~
Kagome flung out a hand, catching his in hers. "Wait! Inu Yasha.." Inu Yasha turned back, hope shining in his eyes. The two stood like this for several minutes. With each passing moment, however, the light in Inu Yasha's eyes grew dimmer, until there was not even a glimmer.
~But if my silence made you leave~
Inu Yasha started to leave once more. Kagome had to do something. anything to keep Inu Yasha from leaving. "Inu Yasha. I love you!" she cried. Dead silence filled the room. "Inu Yasha.. I love you." Kagome whispered, breaking the deafening silence.
~Then that would be my worst mistake~
"You. you do?!" Inu Yasha's voice was quiet and disbelieving. "You can't.. You're just kidding, aren't you?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You could never love me.. Not after all I've done." Kagome shook her head. She had to make him believe! /But. I don't know how../ She stumbled closer to him on unsteady legs, still smarting from yesterday's wounds. With a start, she realized he was still crying. or had started again. "Inu Yasha. don't cry, not over me." She reached up and gently brushed away some of the tears with her thumb. "It's true.. It hurt me to see you with Kikyou."
~So I will share this room with you~
Inu Yasha sighed, leaning into her embrace. "You're serious. you're not kidding?" Kagome smiled. "I'm definitely serious," she replied, reaching farther up to scratch his puppy ears. Inu Yasha resisted the urge to purr in pure delight. "You're serious. you really do love me." Inu Yasha closed his eyes, and whispered so Kagome couldn't hear, "Let's hope you stay alive long enough to show me."
~And you can have this heart to break~
Kagome woke to a pair of loving arms around her waist, She smiled lovingly. "Inu Yasha," she whispered, stroking his twitching ear, "Inu Yasha, it's dawn. It's time to get up."
~And this is why my eyes are closed~
Kagome closed her eyes and shuddered. She couldn't bear to watch the demons and youkai fall prey to Inu Yasha's Tetsusaiga. It was too horrific.
~It's just as well for all I've seen~
Inu Yasha sniffed the air. Something wasn't right. These demons were going down too fast. Was this the real attack point? "Kagome, search them! Do any of them carry jewel shards?" Kagome hesitated, feeling out with her mind, then shook her head. "No, Inu Yasha, they don't. What's going on?!" "I don't know! Something's seriously wrong here!"
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
Inu Yasha, finishing off the demons, said, "Kagome, Miroku, Kaede-baba, can any of you sense any evil around here? At least point me in the direction!" he finished with a growl. Kaede nodded, "That way," and pointed east. "Do ye not feel it also?" she asked Miroku and Kagome. Both nodded. "I sense. Naraku."
~So I will share this room with you~
Kagome sighed as she trekked beside Inu Yasha through the woods. His woods. This brought back unpleasant and unwanted memories, but she knew they didn't mean anything anymore. She pushed them away, but another came to surface. "Inu Yasha," she started, grabbing his hand, mindful of his claws. "Inu Yasha, I don't want you to fight. I have this feeling someone's going to be hurt, and I don't want It to be you." Inu Yasha shrugged uncomfortably. "No one's gonna get hurt. Especially not me. You should know that by now!" Kagome shook her head "I know you're powerful, Inu Yasha, but what of this Naraku? Koi, I don't want you getting hurt." Inu Yasha blushed at the title Kagome gave him. "No, Kagome, we, all of us, have to defeat Naraku, and you can't do it without me, and I without you."
~That's if the choice were mine to make~
Kagome watched, transfixed by the battle splaying before her. She struggled inside. There was so much she wanted to help with, yet she couldn't help at all. /Yeah, I could shoot arrows, but I only have so many! And what if I hit Sango or Miroku? Or. Inu Yasha?/ The latter was in pretty bad shape, trying to protect the other two from danger. Kagome was pretty far from the fray.
~But you can make decisions too~
Inu Yasha kept stealing glances at Kagome to make sure she was alright. This was it. Naraku's minions gone, there was nothing standing in the way between him and Inu Yasha. "You're mine, Naraku!" Inu Yasha yelled and lunged at Naraku. Eventually, Inu Yasha had his hard-won victory over Naraku. But, before dying, Naraku choked out, "You're destined to lose, one way or the other, Inu Yasha. Just as you lost Kikyou the first time, so shall you lose her again!" Even as Naraku died, he laughed. Inu Yasha didn't understand what he meant, until.. "Kagome!" He looked back, but Kagome seemed fine. He rushed towards her. "Kagome, what-" She wasn't answering. "Kagome, are you alright?" She had a blank look in her eyes, and when he touched her, she slumped over. "Kagome?" He hugged her, and felt a wetness on his hands from her back. He sniffed. Blood. Kagome's blood! He hadn't noticed it before. It was enough to drive him mad! "Kagome. no." he whispered disbelievingly. "No, this can't be.." He was found hugging Kagome's lifeless body by Miroku and Sango well later.
~And you can have this heart to break~
Inu Yasha was still shocked. Every time he thought of Kagome, he would start crying uncontrollably, and would fall into uncounted fits of depression from which he was irretrievable. Miroku, Sango, Kaede, they all tried, but they couldn't bring him out of it. He was too deeply lost, his love for Kagome too strong.
~And so it goes, and so it goes~
Inu Yasha lay at the front of Kagome's grave, sallow and pale-faced. He fingered the roses at the front. She had always loved roses. "Kagome.." He read the long-worn words on the face of the beautiful marble stone, worn from 50 years of age and outlasting love: "Our love was short and unknown, but it was strong all the same." There was nothing left for him to live for: The jewel was complete, and Kagome was gone. There was nothing left at all. Inu Yasha was doomed from the start. As he closed his eyes for the last time, he was reminded of a verse: "As for her, I'd lay me down and die."
~And you're the only one who knows~
~Owari~
